Master & Commander
by Whoa Heavy
Summary: In a different iteration of the time loop that plagues Chrom and the Shepherds, the Plegian Commander Vasto considers the choices he and his country has made, and comes to a conclusion. Starring Commander Vasto as himself, General Mustafa as a badass and this little known group of people called "The Shepherds" (In case you forgot, Vasto is the boss of chapter 7, the smug officer.)
1. Chapter 1

_**In a different Iteration of the time loop that plagues Chrom and the Shepherds, the Plegian Commander Vasto considers the choices he and his country has made, and comes to a conclusion.**_

_**Master & Commander  
Chapter one- Diary entry no.124**_

_**.**_

_"Today was the same as yesterday. As the day before that. As the day before that. The Weak and pathetic Yleisian's have almost no real army. If they weren't on the defensive, they could probably barely get close to this mountain fort. This war will be over by the time the year is out. And..._  
_And then what? Do we sink to the Ylissian's level and slaughter them? Is Gangrel Mad enough to demand a genocide?_  
_Or will Cooler heads prevent that. Then what happens? The last war drained our people. We may have a great army now, but most of the men are conscripted, and will leave when this war is over. We haven't the soldiers to control all of Ylisse, and no doubt, whilst the Exalt has kept them weak and defenceless, without such constraints it may be far far more difficult to control them._  
_This war becomes more and more pointless. Gangrel grows evermore insane, and our greatest foe, the Shepherds, are on the march._  
_Just this morning a sealed letter from Mustafa arrived. He asked me about my opinion of our King, in a rather unsubtle manner. I find it difficult to believe that a man such as him, as honourable as him, would stand for what we are doing. I keep the letter on my person, so as to make sure even if I throw it way, it won't end up in the wrong hands._  
_It's probably good that I am a man of much lesser courage then him, else I might have lost this job years ago._

_I hear that there are those within Ylisse that may which to aid our victory. If there was one thing that Mustafa taught be, was to never ever abide Traitors. A fair weather friend is no friend at all."_

A knock was heard upon the Commander's door.  
Vasto, stroking his chin, closed shut his diary and turn around.

"Come in!" He shouted to the door.  
A tall thin Private, a archer if Commander Vasto had to guess, walked into the room. The man gave a quick salute. Vasto got out of the chair and half heartedly returned it, not overly bothered with whatever policy Gangrel had stated or reinstated for saluting, for there was no doubt it would change latter anyway.

"Sir, another letter for you." Said the Private, as he passed the piece of paper into Vasto's hand.

"Have you looked inside this letter!" Said Vasto, worried for if it was another one of Mustafa's mildly Treasonous letters.

"No sir!" shouted the private.

Vasto stared into the Private's eyes for a few seconds. Vasto never put much faith into his ability to detect other's lies, but the fear on the man's face suggested that he was more scared of false punishment then him discovery the lie. And Vasto knew that should he develop a reputation of giving out punishment easily then he would not survive long on the battlefield against his own men.

Besides, he aught to check the contents of the letter before hanging anyone.

"Good. Continue with whatever you were doing." Said Vasto. "And I thank you for understanding basic Confidentiality."  
The Private saluted again, turned around and walked through the door.

Vasto turned back to his desk and opened the letter. It lacked Mustafa's Seal, so Vasto had little fear that anything dangerous would have been leaked.  
He opened it up and read the contents.

.  
_Commander Vasto Of Plegia_  
_One of our spies within the Haildom has managed to force the Movement of the Exult and the Shepherds towards Breakneck pass. This pass will be the perfect opportunity to both abduct the Exult and deal with the Shepherds. You are the closest Commander to this area, Therefore, it is your responsibility to spring the trap. We are sending additional support, however, the enemy must not discover your location before you are able to surround them. A map of the area is attached. Please set off ASAP, and stay low, your presence must not be discovered. Do not return to Plegia without the Exalt and the informant. Preferably Alive. Dispose of the Shepherd's, but attempt to capture the tactician._

_General Campari Of Plegia_

_May the sins of the past be avenged, and long live our king_

.

A real mission? And one that could end this war? A little Daunting, Vasto had to be honest, but the map suggested it would be easy to surround the Shepherds and the Exult. A simple pincer manoeuvre should herd them near the river. As long as they have few Aerial units, it will be simple to cut them down.

Vasto immediately began to grab his armour and his Axe, wiping a hand through his hair. The march was still some distance, and he could not in good conscious leave the fort undefended and allow the Ylissiens to march into Plegia. He needed good men. The temptation to bring just mounted units to speed up the march was great, but the Shepherd's were known for their versatility. They would no doubt easily kill a army of similar units.

Vasto began to pace around the room. He was cursing himself for not requesting more mages, but most were in the Capital or following the Generals armies. As a fresh Commander, Vasto doubted he could've requisitioned any mages.  
Hopefully General Campari will send forth some Mages to even out the army, but he needn't worry about that now.

Vasto knew the best soliders of every specialisation in this fort by name, it would be easy to get them to come along.  
Breakneck pass was a good 4 days away, and there was little way of knowing how long they could wait. He would have to bring about 30 peoples worth of rations, and make sure there were enough for two weeks. Any more days, as unlikely as that would be, would mean having to go into the local villages and trading, possibly breaking their cover.

Vasto quickly and scruffily wrote down the list of soliders he would bring, and walked out of his room.

* * *

"Stable master!" Shouted Vasto, as he paced around the stable yard of the fort, unable to stay still for even a second.

"Sir, yes sir?" replied the Stable master a few seconds later as he saluted.

"I require Yamakaze, my Wyvern." Vasto explained.

"Sir, at this moment she is out in the mountains, hunting, I believe she should return within the..." Said the Stable master.

Vasto pushed him aside, placed his fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply 3 times.

The sharp sounds echoed throughout the mountains.

"Sir, Perhaps a search..." Said the Stable master.

Vasto merely pointed towards a rapidly approaching speck in the cloudless sky.

Within a few seconds, the shape was recognisably a Wyvern.

It landed right in front of both Vasto and the stable master.

"Who's a good girl. Good hearing Yamakaze." Purred Vasto as he rubbed the Wyvern's crest.

The Wyvern let out a great gulp.

"Put her in the stable, I will be needed her soon. And go ahead and give her some Mountain goat. I don't think she caught anything." Said Vasto to the Stable master.

The Wyvern dutifully follow the lead of the Stable master as Vasto left the stables and headed towards the Fort's mess hall.

Vasto was still thinking of how best to do the mission, who to place in charge of the fort whilst he was gone, and other such particularities, when a solider walked in front of him and saluted.

"At ease. Lad, If I am walking between corridors I don't need to be saluted and blocked from passing." Said Vasto.

"Sir, I understand. However, there is a matter that requires your immediate presence." Said the solider.

"By Grima... What is it?" Asked Vasto.

"Sir, Sergeant Arca and Sergeant Clavis are duelling to the death in the Main hall again." Said the solider.

"Again? Honestly, I knew the last guy allowed this kind of crap to occur, but I will not let my men bloody kill each other." Vasto Sighed.

Vasto marched away from the mess and towards the main hall.  
_Bloody idiots. Oh look at how bloody macho I am, killing a fellow solider. Honestly, if it was some Ylissien idiot I wouldn't mind, but a fellow Plegian? We're better then this._

Vasto pushed open the doors into the main hall. Sure enough, a large crowd had circled the two men, fighting with swords. Vasto would be all for letting them duel to first blood or surrender, but he needed these two for the mission immediately.  
Vasto pushed and shoved his way through the crowd, making sure the two combatants didn't notice him.

Vasto stopped for a second, and looked at the nearest solider. A Myrmidon. He was eagerly looking at the fight and had barely noticed Vasto's presence, even if Vasto was taller. His mates behind him however had, and were trying as smoothly as possible to back away from the Commander.

Vasto, in one swift motion, grabbed the sword from the Myrmidon's sheath, and moved into the impromptu duelling ring.

Just as Sergeant Arca was about to bring down his sword onto Clavis' head, Vasto swiftly parried the blow.

_Glad that worked. Haven't used a sword since the last war._ Thought Vasto Grimly.

Arca turn to face Vasto, momentarily wondering who dared to interrupt their duel, when he noticed that he who dared was in fact his commanding officer, and he did not look happy.

Arca quickly dropped his sword as Clavis got onto his feet.

There was a few tense seconds of Silence, before Vasto broke it.

"Well. Glad to see your practising your swordsmanship Sergeant Arca, but I can't help but notice that you seem to be using Sergeant Clavis as a practise doll. Now, he may move like on and have just as good conversational skills, but I will not have my own men kill each other!" Shouted Commander Vasto.

"Sir! He..." Said Arca.

"Did I say at ease Solider! Where is my Grima Damn salute sergeant?" Vasto Shouted again.

Arca immediately saluted Vasto.

"I'll get back to you in a second." Said Vasto, Leaving Arca to keep saluting. "And you, Sergeant Clavis. I will not have good men of Plegia lie down and allow Rookies like Sergeant Arca to kill them. And where the hell is my Godamn salute Sergeant!" Vasto shouted.

Clavis steadily got onto his feet and saluted back at Vasto.

"Good God people. I wouldn't complain at these death duels that the previous Commander allowed if you weren't all so fucking crap at them!" shouted Vasto to the crowd.

"You are better then a bunch of headstrong, short tempered drunkards with a need to compensate for whatever you might lack with a honking great big sword and a sweaty, close, intimate encounter with a fellow man!" Shouted Vasto.

"Luckily for you guys, I need you right now. You can stop saluting." Said Vasto, addressing both Clavis and Arca. "I don't care who started this, or who slept with whose girlfriend back in Plegia. I don't care if Clavis ate your dog or if Arca took your mother out to a nice dinner and never wrote back to her, in this fort, in that uniform, during this war, you two are the best of friends! You will die for each other. You will kill **For **each other! And you will not, under my command, try to figure out the colour of the other man's insides! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!" Shouted Commander Vasto.

"Sir, Yes sir!" Shouted both Clavis and Arca.

"All right then. Mess hall, all of you, on the double!" shouted Vasto.

A few mutterings of agreement, some passing of coin, and grumbling about the anti climax, and everyone made their way to the mess hall.  
One Myrmidon checked his sheath, only to notice something.

"Looking for this?" Asked Vasto, hefting the Myrmidon's sword into the air.

The Myrmidon gulped and nodded.

"Your weapon is a extension of yourself, do not allow a enemy to take it so easily." Said Vasto, before placing the sword onto the ground and kicking it towards the Myrmidon.

The solider uttered a thank you and ran to catch up to his friends heading towards the Mess hall.

* * *

"Attention maggots!" Shouted Sergeant Master Halio. Halio was unofficially Vasto's second in command. Vasto may have been experienced, and was a commissioned officer, but the sergeant was older, somehow even more gruff and had a voice like he swallowed broken glass every time he talked.

The entire mess hall stopped talking, and payed attention to Sergeant Halio, and the taller Vasto stood next to him.

"Thank you everyone. Now, you're probably wondering why I brought you here, and I know your anxious to go ahead and try and kill each other again, so I'll be quick." Said Commander Vasto.

"We have new orders, straight from the top. Capturing the Exalt." Said Vasto.

Upon these words, there were murmurs throughout the crowd.

"I know. But General Campari wouldn't ask this of us unless he had full faith in the abilities of you and your fellow solider. Whilst I'm gone, Lieutenant Parma will be in charge. You will treat his orders like they are from Grima himself." explained Vasto.

Lietenant Parma wasn't a Vet of the last war, and Vasto held little respect for him, but he was officially the second highest ranking here. Vasto assumed then, rather Vasto's training and Friendship with General Mustafa getting him this position, Lieutenant Parma had made friends with Validar, and if there was one person Vasto trusted less then traitors, it was priests.

Vasto's views on the whole Grima worship thing were one of absolute lack of care. On the one hand, it was for the right to worship Grima that Vasto's father had died for and Vasto himself had fought for at the age of fourteen. On the other hand, Grima was supposed to be the god of death and oblivion and a bunch of other ominous titles. And Vasto had used Grima's name in vain at least twenty time more often then he ever prayed to him.

"I'm going to call out a list of names, the names I call will meet in the courtyard in two hours, packed, armed, and ready to march. Sergeant Master Halio, and his squad. Sergeant Clavis and what remains of his squad. Sergeant Arca and his squad. Officer Goristi, and "the four Wyverniers." Quartermaster Johio and his assistant Flastio. And finally, Sergeant Suscepto and his "40/8 thieves". Everyone else, return to whatever you were doing." Said Vasto.

The people he had selected were some of the best he could gather. Thieves, barbarians, Archers, Wyvern riders and scoundrels. 29 of them in total, not including him. Most of them Vasto had fought with on the battlefield before, and he was familiar with most of their abilities and limits, even some of the Privates.

Johio and Flastio would make sure the food keeps and maintain weaponry. Halio would maintain order, while Vasto and some of the Thieves will attempt recon. Hopefully this will go much smoother then that mess in Kalbibai, or Vasto's and Mustafa's first attempt and saving Gangrel in the last war.

* * *

A few hours later, and all 30 of them stood in the courtyard. The few horses on base had been giving out to the soldiers, and whilst they weren't trained for using them in combat, they would make the journey down the mountain and towards the pass much smoother. Of course, Vasto himself was on his Wyvern Yamakaze, and would fly ahead with the other Wyvern riders to scope out the area.  
Everything was ready. By this time next week, Vasto would be returning to Plegia with the Exalt, and Chrom's head on a spike.

"Gentleman, in the coming days you and I will decide the course of this war. We can do to them what they did to us over fifteen years ago. We can finally have what we Plegians have wanted. And there is no finer group of Bastards, Arseholes and twats I'd rather do it with! I know you'll make Plegia proud. I know you'll make me proud. And you'll make yourselves proud! We do this for every Father that didn't come home, Mother who lost a son, Friends who never saw each other again. We do this not because the Ylissians deserve it, but because they, the ones that didn't come home, that we lost, deserve it!" Shouted Vasto.

His men cheered.

"And in the following years, you, my brothers, can tell your grand kids that it was you that stopped the Shepherd's, it was you that silenced the Exalt. It was you that made Plegia Great again!" Shouted Vasto.

The men cheered even louder, and rattled their weapons.  
"MARCH! For Plegia! For our King! For Greatness!" Shouted Vasto, as he and Yamakaze took to the sky.

As he saw the men ride, out of the fort and down the mountain road, talkative, yet resolute, Vasto smiled and stroked his chin.

_How hard can It be to bring down one snobby prince?  
_

* * *

_**Welcome to Master and Commander. Yep, That character that was on screen for maybe ten minutes, what's his story? Well, read on reader, and find out!**_


	2. Chapter 2: Ides of marching

_**Master & Commander**_

_**Chapter two: Ides of Marching**_

Diary entry no.125  
_Bored. Bored._

_Boring boring boring._

_Boredom, thy name is marching._

_It's not like it's even getting me any exercise, Yamakaze is doing all the real work.  
But alas, it's only been two days. I think I shall write a letter to Mother, let her know how I am doing._

Vasto placed the Diary back into Yamakaze's satchel and got out a piece of paper.  
It was quite a recent skill Vasto developed to simultaneously write a letter and fly a Wyvern at the same time, but after many... Many failed attempts, he could finally dictate his life whilst soaring 100ft in the air.  
He put pen to paper.

_Dear mother  
The post continues to go well, at this moment I am on a mission of particular importance, and hopefully by the time you receive this letter, the war may have already ended.  
Tell Sis That I should be back in time for her wedding in two months, Grima willing, and that I couldn't be more proud of her.  
Thank you for the sweater by the way, it is awfully cold in the mountains.  
I hear Mustafa's wife visited you last week. How is the old girl? I must visit her and the kid next time in town, you know how little Geonis love's "Uncle Vasto".  
I'm afraid that I will not be able to accept any more letters for a good while, so please wait until I post again before sending me and more mail and/or knitted scarves. But I'll be sure to bring back something from Yllise, maybe some of the Bear meat burgers these idiots love so much. Or perhaps the pies. I hear Yllisians love to make pies for almost no reason. It won't be nearly as good as your Venison burgers or Coyote pasties, but alas, when in Valm, do as Valmarians do.  
Yamakaze continues to perform admirably, and the old girl has some tricks in her left. Dad would have been proud that she's still going after all these years._

Yamakaze, as if he somehow realised Vasto was writing about her, roared a little.

_Yep, Yamakaze says "Hi"  
Well, Time grows short, I shall be passing a village sometime tomorrow and should be able to post this letter then.  
By the Homeland I hope to see again  
Yours truly  
Commander Vasto  
P.S Mustafa love's the scarf you sent him, but he bemoans that he won't need in where he is stationed. It would greatly help the war effort if only items of upmost import are sent to the frontlines. _

And with that, Vasto carefully folded the letter and placed it into his inside jacket pocket.  
As he did so, he noticed he was carrying Mustafa's own letter to him.  
Vasto gave a quick look around. The men were in formation, none of them were falling behind at all, and the road was not treacherous.  
He decided to have another look at the letter:  
_  
Dear Commander Vasto  
Capital.  
This has been a most stranGe time. Just lAst week, aNother band of __Ylisean_'s tried to Grab my foRt. UndEr prepared, poorLy armed and Hardly cApable of Standing on their own two feet.  
I am finding it Most hard to believe that the weak and cowardlY _Ylisean_'s were the one's to engage in hostilities First if they Are so frail and weak.  
It seeMs that thIs war is turning more and more into the Last, crappY war. Except this time, it seems that we are the ones attempting Genocide.  
What do you think? I have always admired your blunt opinion on leadership, even when it was my own fifteen years ago. Back then, we where desperate heroes, trying to stop a mad king from destroying our homes, our people.  
Now? The _Ylisean_'s call Gangrel "The Mad King".  
Gangrel is not crazy, long live Gangrel, but...  
By the way, my wife talked to your mother last week. You know, she wants you to write more. She really wants to know how this war is going. And just how good a Commander her little "Olive oil" is.  
I hope to see you soon friend. Perhaps we can deal with my problem when we are next in the Capital.  
General Mustafa  
P.S, Tell your mother that I have enough knitted scarves, and I don't need to have them in the middle of the desert. But, you know, tell her gently. Don't want a repeat of the Sweater incident.

In all of Vasto's 29 years, he had never seen Mustafa write such a bloody awful letter. Random capitals, mildly treasonous, all that good stuff.

It was worrying. Mustafa wasn't that old, only 45, but was he suffering from Battle Fatigue? Many soldiers, particularly the ones who were called upon to perform the more... Irregular orders suffered from the terror and tiredness that Battle Fatigue caused. Usually, either the soldier kept going until he snaps, goes AWOL rather then dare fight again, or fights and fights and fights, and finds it more difficult then anyone else to return to a civilian life.

But Mustafa? Vasto and Mustafa had seen some of the worst parts of the last war, the slaughtered Villages, the desecration, the pillaging. They saw such death and destruction. But so far, this war, little had happened yet. A few assaults on some of their border cities, a few harmless attacks on small villages.

Nothing to write home about.

Vasto always wondered whether what he saw fifteen years ago affected him. He was very young when he joined the war, only fourteen years of age. And he hadn't left the Plegian army since, he hadn't had even attempted a Civilian life.

He hadn't had a long term relationship with anyone who wasn't family or in the Army. He had stopped going to church, and focus entirely on the job.  
But Mustafa? Mustafa was older. Wiser. Hardened by a longer service in the last war.

Or perhaps what the Ylisean's did. What Vasto and Mustafa had to do, had finally sunken in for the older man.  
The mountain road had finally stopped sloping. The path had widened. Now the most difficult part of the march began.

* * *

With a light kick, Yamakaze brought Vasto to the front of the army.

"Gentleman. In a few hours we will finally set up camp. But from this point onwards, subtlety is our ally. We will not be burning and attacking every village we come across. Indeed, it may be better for us not to even go onto the main roads. Should any Ylissian's find out what we are doing, the mission will be scrubbed, and we don't want to return to Plegia empty handed. I know it will be annoying. I know it will be tough. But your a rough group of bastards, and I know you can do it!" Shouted Vasto.

There were a few cheers and nods from the group.

"Right. Remain in formation, Wyverns, go ahead, fly low, and find somewhere suitable to set up camp." ordered Vasto.  
Officer Gorisiti nodded and motioned for his fellow riders to fly down and fast. With such speed and ability, the 5 wyvern riders flew over the forest and out. They were tiny, fast moving specks on the horizon within two minutes.  
Vasto landed himself and Yamakaze at the front of the army, next to Sergeant master Halio.

"How are the men Kalphja?" asked Vasto towards Halio.

"Few mumbles and grumbles sir, but nothing to worry about. Glad to finally get down from that blasted mountain though." Replied Halio.  
"Good to hear. And yeah, us Plegian's just aren't built for the cold like that. It's good to get out of the fort once and a while." Said Vasto.

"Sir, could I ask a question?" Asked Halio.

"I value your input Kalphja, Go ahead." Replied Vasto.

"This plan was by General Campari correct?" Asked Halio.

"Campari wrote the orders." Vasto replied.

"I may not know Campari like you do, but his army is not too far from Breakneck pass. And he's not been one to ever pass up a chance for experience and glory. What makes capturing the Exalt so different?" Asked Halio.

Vasto thought on this for a few seconds.  
Halio was right. Whilst not as bad as some people Vasto knew, Vasto included, Campari was quite the glory hound. And he was only five days or so out from Breakneck pass. Campari would never have pass up on this, even if Vasto and he had been sort of friends/ drinking buddies.

Perhaps Mustafa talked him into it, to give Vasto a real command?  
Or perhaps Campari never read those orders at all.

But it had his official stamp. Only a him or a higher officer could use that. Some magic spell Validar had worked out in order to prevent spy's within Plegia.  
Could it have failed. But Vasto decided not to let Halio worry about this unless it threatens the mission, or worse.

"Mustafa encouraged Campari to let me have this one. Besides, I think Campari's working on plans for the siege of Ylissitol. But you didn't hear that from me." Said Vasto. He wasn't technically lying. Campari was working on those siege plans.

"Ah. Man, it must be nice to have a friend like Mustafa." Said Kalphja.

"Loyal, helpful and kind? Or high ranking?" Asked Vasto with a smile.

"... Shall we say both?" Said Kalphja.

"I'm wounded Kalphja. Are we not friends? My mum knitted that sweater for your birthday! I was your wingman when you found your fiancé." Said Vasto, mock tearfully.

"To be fair sir, I'm allergic to cotton, and you were trying to hit on her too." Said Kalpja. "And your mum knits for half of Plegia's high command."

"Details details." Said Vasto.  
Before Kalphja could mention that time Vasto had thrown him off Yamakaze, the Wyvern riders had returned.

"Sir, there's a decent clearing about 2 miles south east, we can lead the army there." Said Officer Gorisiti.  
"Excellent, then let us make camp!" Shouted Vasto.

* * *

_Diary entry 126:  
Early day today, mustn't wait around. Barely even daylight yet. Man, I miss Plegian weather. The Desert is at least comfortably warm. All this grass and morning dew and other such moisture is just terrible.  
We will be travelling dangerous close to a village today. No way around it. We should just be able to stay out of sight, but for today me and the other wyvern riders are grounded._

* * *

"Village in sight sir." Said Arca.

"...yes it is. Do all Ylisse villages have that much smoke and fire coming from them?" Said Vasto Rhetorically.

"What are your orders?" Asked Kalpja.

"Kalphja, Gorisiti, Suscepto, bring a few archers and follow me. We need to know if those are Plegian "bandits" or the real thing. If there on our side then we could use them." Said Vasto.

"And if they aren't?" Asked Gorisiti.

"...Gentleman!" Vasto shouted to the other men. "Me and a few others are going into that village. Should either me or Gorisiti fly straight up, begin to charge the village."

"Sir, their Ylisean's. We can just walk away." Said Arca.

"This close to the border? How long before their targets are good honest Plegians. But you do bring up a point." Said Vasto. "Should the worst come to pass, our main priority is elimination. Don't worry too much about keeping the Ylisean's alive. But don't go out of your way to kill them, we get seen like heroes, and it'll make the ride back to Plegia much easier."

Most of the army said their agreements or nodded.

"Then we'll see you in a bit. One way or another." Said Vasto.  
With that, Vasto gently nudged Yamakaze to walk towards the village, followed by a few archers, Halio, Gorisiti and Suscepto.  
Two Wyverns and four horses rode over the bridge.  
From up close, the damage was much worse. The Bandits were really putting the "Burn" in Burn, rape and pillage.

A nearby small group of bandits spotted the riders and walked towards them.  
Vasto smiled a shit eating smile and stroked his chin.

"Good day. You wouldn't mind telling me what it is your doing here?" Asked Vasto.

"Who the bloody fuck are you? You aren't one of those fucking Shepherd lot are you?" Said one of the men.  
Vasto laughed.

"God no. The whole "We're super sorry we committed genocide against you fifteen years ago, but please don't go to war with us pleeeeasseee" thing is not really our style." Said Vasto.  
The bandits relaxed a little.

"Then who the fuck are you." Said the bandit.  
With that, Vasto drew his axe.

"Commander Vasto of the Plegian army. Wyvern rider, Amateur knitter. And this beauty is Yamakaze, the mountain winds." Said Vasto. "Now, who the fuck are you, and what the fuck are you doing here?"

"Shit, it's a army! We're being attacked!" Shouted one of the bandits.  
_Well, this is going to be fun._

Vasto signalled for Gorisiti to fly straight upwards as the others began to dismount.

"You know, it's the duty of the strong to protect the weak. And brother, you are hurting the weakest of them all. Ylisean's. Bend your knee or be destroyed." Said Vasto, as the other 24 of his army rode out of the tree line.

The bandit, looking roughly like he had soiled himself, responding by badly swinging his axe at Yamakaze. The Wyvern dodged it, and responded by biting his arm and tearing it off.  
"Wrong answer." Said Vasto. And with that, he took to the sky.

Each sergeant was shouting orders towards his squad. The Archers were pulling back towards the bridge, Gorisiti and the other wyvern riders were behind Vasto, Arca and his Barbarians were charging towards the now confused and terrified group of bandits. Halio was with his own warriors, who were turning away to the main street and towards one of the inns.  
Quickly, Vasto did a fly by of the entire village. He counted roughly 35 bandits. Not to many, but enough to be worried about.

"Gorisiti, join Halio and harass the bandits at the inn!" Vasto ordered.  
Gorisiti merely nodded, and brought him and his squad lower, heading towards Halio.

Vasto flew close to Clavis's squad.  
A single bandit was running towards Clavis, his sword raised. Vasto Reached out and quickly flew alongside the bandit. His axe had cut deep into his liver, and soon his was lying in a pool of his own blood. Yamakaze landed in front of Clavis.

"Clavis! Take your Myrmidons and guard the archers!" Said Vasto.  
Clavis nodded and him and his squad ran back towards the bridge.

Vasto took back to the sky. Looking down, he could see that Suscepto was keeping the attention of a group of bandits whilst his men were readying to attack from a side alley.  
Then Vasto noted that the bandit Suscepto was facing was easily winning their fight. And a bandit was sneaking up on him.

"Adsulto!" Shouted to Yamakaze, as they had practise a thousand times.  
And hearing those words, Yamakaze turned onto his side and circled above the bandit. Vasto let go of his reins and dropped down.

He brought his axe behind his head, as he fell 20ft through the air.  
The bandit was just about to stab Suscepto in the back, when he noticed a rapidly approaching falling man.  
The bandit cease noticing that as the axe was driven into his skull, and 11 stones of man stomped onto his falling body.

Vasto landed with a tumble. The bandits in front of Suscepto stared at him for a few seconds, forgetting for a few seconds that Suscepto was there. Suscepto took the opportunity to slash the man he was previous parrying across the chest, slicing through flesh and sending him to the floor.

Vasto got onto his feet and pulled his axe out of the dead bandits skull. As he did so, Suscepto's five thieves ran out of the side alleys and joined in the fight with the remaining 8 bandits.

"Nice of you to drop in sir." Said Suscepto as he excellently parried a slash from one of the bandits.

"If I had a gold coin someone said that." Said Vasto, as he swung his axe into the leg of a attacking Barbarian, before punching the bandit barbarian in the nose, sending him onto the floor.

"You could retire?" Asked Suscepto as he and another thief stabbed the attacking bandit.

"And miss out on the puns?" Replied Vasto, as he dragged the axe out of the bandit's leg. Yamakaze landed straight on top of another bandit.

"Who's a good girl?" Asked Vasto. The bandit in Yamakaze's claws mumbled, to which Vasto replied by swinging the axe down onto his head.  
Within a few more seconds, most of the Bandits lied dead or dying. Faces were peaking out of the stone houses, and they looked relieved, until they noticed the Red of the Plegian's uniforms.

"Join up with Arca on main street, the bandits numbers must be thinning by now." Said Vasto as he climbed back onto Yamakaze.  
"Yes sir!" Replied Suscepto. "Move it men, double time!"  
Suscepto and his men ran down one of the side alleys back onto the main road.

Vasto gave a quick look into one of the houses. The Civilians inside looked more grateful for the rescue then the fact that were rescuers were part of the Plegian army.  
Vasto nodded back at them, and then took flight once more.  
Yamakaze groaned a little.

"I know girl, we can relax in a while, but right now..." Said Vasto.

* * *

Vasto and Yamakaze joined up with Gorisiti and his riders.  
Halio noticed Vasto from the ground and beckoned him closer.

"Yes Khalpja?" Asked Vasto.

"Inn's safe. These bandits are pathetic. What are your orders?" Asked Halio.

"Any run away?" asked Vasto.

"A few, would you have us chase after them, or deal with the... _other survivors._" Halio said with a noticeable distaste.

"Sir, we spotted a large conjugation of bandits at the village hall. We believe their leader is inside." Said Gorisiti.

"How many?" Asked Vasto.

"About fifteen or so." Said Gorisiti.

"Then there's your orders. Halio, take your squad and tell the others, surround the village hall. Gorisiti, let's see if there isn't some way from the roof." Ordered Vasto.

"Sir." Said Halio, as he signalled towards his squad to move.  
Vasto, Gorisiti and the other riders flew towards the large stone building in the centre of town. The smell of ash and death was noticeable in the air.  
Clearly some of the Villagers hid inside the stone building to escape the bandits. And the Bandits didn't like that at all.

"Look sir. There's a whole in the roof, seems a skylight must've smashed in a fight." Said one of the riders.

"Good eye Elzia." Said Gorisiti.

"Good. We'll land on the roof. Quietly." Vasto ordered.

In a few seconds, all six of them had carefully landed, the bandits far too busy staring at the rest of Vasto's army surrounding the building to notice them.  
"All right. I'm going to try and negotiate with them, see if they have any hostages." Said Vasto.

"Sir, they're just Ylisean's, surely we could just burn the building down and deal with it here and now." Said one of the riders.

"And miss out on all the loot? I'm appalled Solider. Don't you want a souvenir or something?" Replied Vasto. "Now, if this all goes south, be a dear and jump in after me."  
Before anyone else could talk, or realise that Vasto had barely answered the rider's question, Vasto had already jumped inside.

The smell was much much worse within the room. There were a few bodies of civilians piled in the corner, and a few of what Vasto assumed were bandit bodies covered by sheets.  
Still no one had noticed Vasto's arrival.

"Gentleman, your surrounded." Said Vasto.  
The entire room turned around, some twelve bandits, and drew their weapons.

"What the hell! Oh Gods!" Shouted one of the bandits.

"Who's in charge here?" Asked Vasto, ignoring the twelve weapons pointed directly at him.

"...So your this Commander my men have been screaming about." Said one of the bandits. He was a taller, heavier man then the rest. A older gent, Vasto guessed around forty. Completely shaved head, a tattoo of a hand holding a arrow on his right temple.

"I'm afraid we've been too quick at killing the rest of your men to learn your name. You are?" Asked Vasto.  
It seemed that his attitude was disarming, as a good few were lowering their weapons.

"I'm Jun." Said the heavy man.

"Commander Vasto. Now, there are three ways we can play this. Two if you don't have..." Said Vasto.

"Help us!" Someone shouted from the next room.

"Well that answers that." Mumbled Vasto.

"Why should we surrender? We've got their Commanding officer surrounded." Said Jun.

Vasto laughed a little.

"Oh, surrender isn't much of a option actually. Either, you walk out, no weapons, and I make your death's quick. Or you all try to fight me, I head back onto the roof using let's say..." Vasto said, as he span around and pointed at a random bandit. "Your body as a step ladder, and I burn this building to the ground."

Jun looked worried. These weren't some ambitious Village heroes liked he had hoped when they first walked into town. They were Soldiers. Worst, from a invading army. They really would have few qualms. The fact that this Commander was here was proof that they wanted a somewhat peaceful solution, but any way, they have very little to lose.

"And three?" Jun asked.  
Vasto drew his Axe.

"You and me fight. I win, You die, but I promise that the rest of your men go free. You win, I die, but this building will be set on fire and you'll burn in hell with me." Said Vasto.  
Jun gulped.

"So, either we are all executed, we all burn, I die but my men go free, or you die and we all burn again?" Said Jun.

"There's a good chance you could get a few, maybe even yourself out, if you best me in a duel." Said Vasto.

Jun thought this over for a few seconds, before drawing his own axe.

"Then I guess a duel is the best choice." Said Jun.

"I was hoping you'd say that. You think when I win the villagers will make a decent statue of me?" Asked Vasto.

"Sure, your gravestone will at least look pretty." Said Jun.  
Vasto laughed.

"Ahhh good one. You seem a decent fellah. I'd hate to kill you." Said Vasto.

"You seem a decent fellah. I'd hate to die." Said Jun.  
The two men circled each other.

Jun struck first, charging forward and putting his whole weight behind a sideways swipe.  
Vasto hopped backwards, dodging the swipe, before kicking at Jun's legs.

Jun stumbled backwards, But didn't fall over. He swung again, striking downwards.  
Vasto simply moved to the side, sending the axe into the floor, where it dug into the wooden floorboards.

Jun heaved and heaved, but could not pull his axe out quickly.

"I'd hate to best you like this, I'll wait till you pull the axe out of the floor." Said Vasto, bowing mockingly.

The audience, now including a few hostages watching through a hole in the wall, waited with baited breath as Jun finally pulled his axe out of the floor.

"Come and have a go, if you think you're hard enough." Said Vasto with a huge shit eating grin on his face.  
Jun readied to swing again, but Vasto was quicker, throwing his axe into Jun's chest.  
Jun stumbled and fell onto the floor, blood pouring out of the wound.

Jun's gripped loosen on his own Axe, and as Vasto walked towards him, he picked up Jun's axe.

"I promise you're men will be spared. But until we meet again..." Said Vasto, before bringing his axe onto Jun's head.  
Vasto let go out of the Axe now stuck in Jun's skull, and pulled his own Axe out of Jun's chest.  
For a few seconds, nobody moved. Then, the bandits began to drop their weapons, kicking them towards Vasto.

Vasto nodded then said:  
"All right. You can come in now!" Shouted Vasto.  
At that moment, Sergeant Suscepto entered the room, followed by their men.

"They've been ready there since you took your eyes off of the guys outside. Now, Suscepto, if you'd like to escort these men out of the Village." Ordered Vasto.  
The bandits began to walk ahead, moving in front of Suscepto and his men.

"Arms behind your heads! No funny business!" Shouted Suscepto.  
Gorisiti dropped down the hole in the rough.

"That was stupid, and very reckless Commander." Said Gorisiti.

"Don't make out like your not impressed." Said Vasto, grinning as he stroked his chin.  
To which, Gorisiti merely laughed.

"Right. Let's get the hostages." Said Vasto.  
The two of them walked into the other room.  
There were about eight men and women in the room, most of them in their early thirties/late twenties, but one or two were in their fifties.

"Thank you! Thank you so very much. I've no idea what might of happened if you hadn't came." Said the fifty year old man Vasto was untying.

"Well take a look at that Jun guy. There's a pretty good estimate." Said Vasto.  
The man paused for a few seconds, unsure of how to respond to that. He elected to ignore it.

"I'm the mayor of the Village of Rumare. You might be Plegian, but you just saved our village, and that deserves some kind of celebration." Said the mayor.  
Vasto shared a look with Gorisiti.

"We can discuss that in a bit." Said Vasto.

"You guys are Plegian's?" Asked one of the younger men.

"Doesn't the red uniform give it away?" Replied Vasto.  
The young man looked shocked.

"Bu...But... But... Your the enemy." Said the young man.

"Would it make you feel better if we finished what Jun and his men started?" Asked Vasto.  
The young man turned pale, and didn't say a word.

* * *

Vasto and his men had gathered in the burnt out courtyard, and the entire of the village were packed there too.

"Today, we saw the worst humanity can offer. A group of thieves, bastards and Villains burnt, pillaged and killed many good people. And we were defenceless to stop it. The nearest Yllisian garrison is miles away. And yet, we also saw the best humanity has to offer. A group of soldiers, from a army our country is at war with, stepped in just when all hope was lost and turned the tide of the battle. They negotiated with the bandits, risking their own lives in the process." Shouted the Mayor. "And for what? So that we might thank them? No, these men did it because it was right!"

The crowd screamed and applauded. Vasto noticed that some were far less enthusiastic then others, and some were out right crying. Whether it was because of the people they lost, or because their rescuers were from Plegia, he could not say.

"Of course, I'd like to thank all of them, but I would personally like to thank their leader, Commander Vasto!" Shouted the mayor. "Now I believe that Vasto has a few words prepared."  
_Wait. What?  
_

This had not been discussed with Vasto. All that happened was that he ordered his men to stand in the centre of the village until they got paid and leave. He hadn't expected the people to want to hear him.  
A few members of the crowd shouted.

"Come on up Commander." Said the mayor.  
_Just... go with it.  
_Vasto, shakily, joined the mayor on the impromptu podium.

"Egh... Hi." Said Vasto.  
The Crowd fell silent.

"Erm... The reason we intervened here is because... um... What the mayor said. Because..." Said Vasto.  
He took a breath, and looked to his men. Halio, Suscepto and Clavis nodded.

"Because it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak!" Shouted Vasto.  
The crowd looked between themselves, in mild confusion.

"The true judge of a man's character is not how one treats his equals. But how one Treats his lessers. And I think that this is something Ylisse doesn't truly understand. It is easy for them to apply for peace and harmony when we threaten them, but seventeen years ago, Ylisse attempted to wipe my people out, after the end of the worst drought Plegia had ever suffered." Said Vasto.

"But before that, 40 years ago, during the great Cattle Famine, we Plegian's took pieces of your country that you would not regain until that next war. And before that, 103 years ago, Ylisse assassinated the current king in order to allow the one that wanted better relations with Ylisse. You robbed a child of his father. This cycle has continued since our countries began. Grimleal verses Naga, King vs Exalt, Plegia vs Ylisse. One day, this war must end. The Cycle must be broken!" Shouted Vasto.  
The crowd cheered.

"We must be the ones to do so! Not our children! Not our children's children. This war, this time, things must be different. The cycle must be broken!" Shouted Vasto.  
The crowd cheered again, as the mayor returned to the podium.

"Thank you Commander Vasto!" Said the mayor. "Now, is there anything you would wish of us?"  
Vasto looked around the village. Much of it was burnt, and the dead were still lying in the streets.

"All I request is that you keep our presence a secret from any Ylissian soldiers that come through here. They must not know we are here." Said Vasto.

"Is that all? You saved our lives. You..." Said the mayor, a little shocked.

"Perhaps, in the coming days, once you've mourned, rebuilt and returned to your normal lives... You wouldn't mind building a statue of me or anything. Something tasteful, like me with my weapon drawn on a bucking Yamakaze?" Asked Vasto.

"Commander..." Said Halio disappointedly.

"Fine. Fine. No, all we require is that no solider finds that we were here until this war is over." Said Vasto.

"So be it! What humble and Galliant heroes! The Men of Commander Vasto! Saviours of Rumare!" Shouted the mayor.

The crowd went nuts, cheering and applauding.

_So this is what it feels to be a hero._

* * *

The mood as the army set up camp late in the evening was one of tired happiness.  
It wasn't often the men got to do something, and do something almost unambiguous good...  
But a few were still questioning the events of the day, as the sergeants sat around the fire.

"I mean, I understand saving the people once we got involved, but why get involved in the first place? And why let them go after all that effort." Said Arca.

"Yeah. I mean, they're _Ylisean_'s. They wouldn't do the same for us." Said Clavis.

"Isn't that important?" Asked Vasto as he sat down on the log. Clavis and Arca moved to salute him.

"At ease, we've done enough today." Said Vasto. He began to eat his stew.

"Did you hear..." Asked Clavis.  
Vasto nodded.  
"I intervened because leaving them to die, or hell, joining in killing them, would've made us as bad as they were. I don't need to remind you all that we all lost people during the last war." Said Vasto.  
Everyone involuntary turned their heads down in respect, before Vasto talked again.

"As for why I let them go? Those Bandits not only fear Plegian's, and will most likely stay well out of our territory, but will continue to harass our enemy. Without their leader, they likely won't be able to launch large attacks like that for a good long while, but disrupting trade and travel along the main roads, they are still useful to our war effort." Explained Vasto.

The men stayed quiet.

Eventually, as if agreeing with Vasto's reasoning's, Clavis and Arca nodded and returned to their soup.  
After a while, the conversation began again.

"Do you think this cycle will ever be broken sir?" Asked Halio to Vasto.  
The other officers turned towards Vasto.

"All right. It's probably no secret that I don't 100% agree with how this far is being waged. I mean, Raids on villages, using those..._Risen_. Almost every young man in Plegia is being sent to the front. We almost lost an entire generation last war. If we don't win this one soon, or if we lose, we might just lose another." Said Vasto.

"But can we lose? The Exalt has kept the Ylissian army weak and small." Said Suscepto.

"The Feroxians have already joined the war, they have allies. We don't. And we were weak fifteen years ago, and we threw out the Ylisean's and killed their king. A animal cornered is a most dangerous animal. A war is not won until the losing side has accepted that they have lost." Replied Vasto.

"Besides, What good is a war that we can win in a week?" Said Vasto jokingly. "That's almost as bad as a war that lasts years."

"Tell my in laws that." Said Suscepto. "They've been fighting me since I knocked up and married their daughter."

"Well if you do it that order, they might just hold a tiny grudge." Said Vasto. Laughter returned to the camp fire, and would not stop until the late hours of the night.

* * *

Vasto returned to his tent. Yamakaze was sleeping softly outside. He knew if he didn't get sleep soon, he'd hate himself on the march tomorrow.  
A letter fell out of his shirt pocket.

"Oh, Mustafa's letter." Said Vasto.  
He picked up the letter, absent mindedly reading the first line.

_Capital.  
_"Why does it read just that?" Asked Vasto to himself.

He read the letter again. Noticing the capitals that weren't the start of sentences or names.  
_No... That's not true... It can't be!_

"...What the fuck!" He shouted.

* * *

**_Leaving it there, lonnnnng chapter I know, but a very fun one to write. Please continue to leave your reviews and love. Ciao._**


	3. Chapter 3: The Shepherd Commander

_**Master & Commander:  
Chapter 3: Shepherd Commander**_

_Dear Mustafa  
No. I refuse... Gangrel has your family? Are they in danger?  
I can't believe...  
_.  
Vasto stopped. Perhaps he couldn't believe it because it was merely chance. Despite himself, Vasto remembered that Mustafa did not have the most neat of handwriting. Plus, the man was fighting in a war zone. In would be understandable that maybe he doesn't have the greatest pen in the Plegian army.

_That's it. It's just pure chance that those letters were capital.  
Yeah! And the Capital at the start was merely him saying that he was joining in on the siege of Ylissetol later._

Vasto sighed a sigh of relief.  
That was it. Mustafa's family wasn't in danger. Least of all by their own king.

* * *

_Diary entry 128  
Pfft. I almost embarrassed myself today and jumped to conclusions concerning Mustafa and his loyalty to Plegia.  
I had the, craziest dumbest idea for a few seconds that Gangrel had taken Mustafa's wife and child hostage. And that Mustafa knew this, and was trying to tell me through the easiest to crack code ever.  
Thank Grima. Hell, Praise Grima the Fell Dragon that I simply must be wrong.  
In two days we shall be ready at Breakneck pass. Then it is simply a waiting game.  
Soon, our mysterious spy within the Haildom will lead the Exalt into a trap. And like the brave Plegian he is, will aid us in her capture and the destruction of the Shepherds.  
In some sense it is useful that the events of yesterday occurred. The men haven't had any real action in a long while, and yesterday proved to me that they have still got it.  
_  
Vasto closed his Diary and sighed. Yes. He was wrong and Selina and Geonis were completely safe.  
Completely safe.  
And with that, assuring himself of their safety, Vasto placed his head on the pillow within his tent and slept.

* * *

_Vasto stands in the courtyard of a fort he has never been to.  
The rain impacts with the force of a sledgehammer.  
Vasto, circles, all but I can't see what It is I am seeing.  
I shed a tear, and say something that I can't hear.  
Then, I swing a a black and steel sword._

_._

_The scene changes. The desert sun burns my back, but I stand at the edge of my village._  
_A young lady pushes me gently._  
_I close my eyes, sigh, and take a step forward. For some reason, I find it difficult to keep walking, my every step is heavy, and Vasto seems reluctant to head to his destination.  
._

_A young man cradles the body of his neighbour. He was about 60, before the sword was plunged into his heart._  
_A solider, dressed in blue, holding a sword in his right hand, stands over the boy._

_"Die on your feet child." Said the man._  
_The body lowers his head. His family had got out. But Where was dad?_

_"Here." Said the soldier. "I won't kill a unarmed child."_  
_So the soldier threw his fellow man's sword at the boy's feet._

_"Pick it up!" Shouted the soldier._  
_The boy closed the dead man's eyelids, and, wearily, got to his feet, the sword in his hand._

_The man instantly swings at the child, but the child hops backwards, dodging the swing. The boy then crouches down, and picks up a handful of sand. There is tears in the young boys eyes. But quickly his face turns Resolute and expressionless.  
_

_The boy throws sand into the face of the soldier.  
Whilst the soldier screams in pain, rubbing his face, the boy stabs the man in the gut and wretches the blade out of his side.  
The now dying man falls to the floor.  
_

_For a few seconds, nothing happens. Then the soldier's fellow men draw their own swords.  
The boy readies himself to parry, but four men against one boy is no fight.  
Just as the first man attacks, a bearded man dressed in red runs into view, swinging his Axe right into one of the blue soldier's spine.  
For the next few seconds, both the bearded man and boy fight for their lives, slashing and swinging, stabbing and crushing.  
After almost thirty second, all four men have fallen. The young man has a slash across his chest, bleeding, but it was only a scratch.  
_

_"Your General Folto's son aren't you?" asked the bearded man after a minute.  
The young man slowly nods.  
_

_"I'm Mustafa. Sergeant Master Mustafa. We need to get you and the other's out of the village." Said the red soldier man.  
_

_"... I have to help them." Said the young boy.  
_

_"How old are you son?" Asked Mustafa.  
_

_"14." Said the boy.  
_

_"... Your..." Started Mustafa.  
_

_"Old enough to have killed." Said the boy.  
_

_"...I'm so sorry. But we do need all the help we can get." Said Mustafa. "What's your name son?"  
_

_"...Vasto. I'm Vasto." Said the young boy.  
_

_"Well Private Vasto, welcome to the Plegian army."_

* * *

The sunlight shone outside the tent. The dawn was bright, and a new day had sprung.  
Vasto touched the scar across his chest as he lay in his sleeping bag.  
For a few seconds he lay there. It had been a long time since he had that nightmare. And those other ones... He had no memory of those times.  
Vasto got out of his sleeping bag and stretched, then got out of the tent.

The grass outside was wet with morning dew, and the air still has a noticeable chill.  
Vasto walked towards the sleeping form of Yamakaze. Next to her was his rucksack. The rucksack luckily was made of Seal skin, and was specially treated to be waterproof.

It would be a few hours before the men would begin that day's march, and Vasto didn't want to bother placing on his armor just yet.  
He grabbed one of his mother's sweaters that she had knitted for him, a orange woollen turtle-neck. Unfashionable, but warm as all heck.

As he put it on, the chill no longer cause his skin to crawl. Vasto thought it was a shame that Mother never thought to knit professionally, for she probably was the best knitter in Plegia, and she'd probably make a killing selling to Feroxians. But, alas, no one needs Sweaters and Scarves in the middle of the Plegian desert.  
Vasto walked towards Master Sergeant Halio's tent and poked his head in.

"Sorry to wake you darling, but it's time to get the kids up for school." Vasto said with a grin on his face.

"ughhhh... Fuck off Vasto." Said Halio.

"What was that?" Asked Vasto jokingly.

"Sorry, fuck off Commander Vasto." replied Halio.

"Better." said Vasto. With that, he left the tired Sergeant to get up and dressed.

Vasto walked towards the fire pit they had set up last night, and gathered some of the kindling they had left under a sheet.  
He placed it in the middle of the ashen pit, got out his tinderbox and began to light the fire.

* * *

By 10 o'clock they had set off, continuing to travel south on the small path. The men had been forced to go single file, or they'd have to try and travel through the forest. Luckily, with Yamakaze, Vasto had no such worries.

The map he was looking at suggested that should they continue at the rate they were travelling they'd make it to Breakneck Pass by 5 o'clock tomorrow evening.

Then, it would be a simple matter of lying in wait. Vasto was prepared to wait however long it took, whether that was Chrom arriving or being relieved by a commanding officer. But until such a time, Vasto reasoned that he would have to make constant visits into nearby villages to gather food after a week waiting.

Hopefully it would not come to that.  
Gorisiti flew closer towards Vasto.

"Sir, I believe we are being followed." Said Gorisiti.  
Vasto tensed up, but kept his voice low.

"What makes you think that." He said quietly.

"A raven just flew off heading towards the east. And at camp last night, I think I caught a glimpse of a man I did not recognise. No soldier in this army anyway." Replied Gorisiti.

"Where do you believe he is?" Asked Vasto.

"He's staying close, somewhere in the forest. Must be trying to both stay hidden and keep up with our convoy." Said Gorisiti.

"Right. I want you to take two Wyvern riders and scout out the forest. Tell me if you spot movement. You see anyone, bring them to me. Alive." Ordered Vasto.

"Yes sir." Said Gorisiti with a nod. He brought his Wyvern towards two of his men, talked for a bit, and began recon of the forest.  
Vasto, meanwhile, just tried to look like he was bored. But inside, he feared that perhaps the Village they had saved had a Yllisean soldier, maybe even a Shepherd away from their flock, who has been following them.

If anyone finds out the purpose of their convoy, the mission would have to be scrubbed.  
Vasto looked down and signalled to Halio at the front of the convoy. Both he and Vasto knew Plegian military hand signals.

"_We Are Followed... Look out... Act Casual... Stay quiet." _Signalled Vasto.  
To which, Halio merely nodded.  
Vasto looked around, trying to look as uninterested as possible.  
Vasto eyes passed a moving target. In was quite some distance away, but just visible.  
_Got you_

Vasto lazily nudged Yamakaze to fly upwards, trying to fly above the eye line of the mysterious figure.  
Vasto and Yamakaze were soon circling the mysterious figure. Halio had stopped the convoy, seemingly to allow the men to take a break.

"Adsulto." Said Vasto. Yamakaze turned onto his side and Vasto jumped.

The drop was a good 25ft, but Vasto had practised, and fell towards the target.  
The figure was just about to move forward when a Man encased in armor slammed into his back, sending him to the floor and knocking the wind out of him.

"I don't like being spied on." Said Vasto to the figure beneath him.  
On closer look, Vasto could see the man's uniform. The man was wearing dull grey robes, with a knife attached to his right shoulder.

"Get up!" Shouted Vasto as he dragged the man to his feet. The convoy stared as Vasto threw the figure onto the path.  
Vasto signalled and the convoy began to circle around the two men.

"Now, who the bloody hell are you?" Said Vasto, hand on the axe on his back.

"I'm Plegian! I'm Plegian! Please don't kill me!" screamed the man as he tried to crawl away from the violent Commander.

"Bullshit. Next time you lie to me I remove a hand." Said Vasto.

"I swear it! I work for Aversa!" Shouted the man as he struggled to his feet.

"Prove it. Or we'll see how well you walk through the forest with only one foot." Said Vasto.

The man, sweating, threw a roll of paper at Vasto's feet.  
Vasto, hand still on his Axe, leant down to pick up the paper. He unravelled it and began to read.

_Proof of Identity  
Plegian Spy: Percy Antille  
To be burnt upon enemy capture.  
This will paper proves the identity of a loyal spy of Plegia, and should prevent friendly fire.  
Signed  
Aversa.  
_

Her personal seal was on the bottom of the letter. The only people who could possible use her seal was herself, Validar if he was alive and Gangrel himself.  
It seemed this spy was legit.  
"So, Are you my contact? Where's the Exalt? We agreed..." Began Vasto.

"No sir. My duties were... To watch you." Said the spy.  
Vasto glared at the spy as he hand reached back for his axe.

"You better start explaining yourself. Now!" shouted Vasto.

"Aversa! Aversa was the one who sent your orders! Not Campari!" Screamed the spy.

"Aversa? Why?" Said Vasto.

"She... She'll kill me if she finds out." Said the spy.

"You've already revealed enough. If you don't keep talking, I'll kill you immediately." Said Vasto, menacingly.

"... I don't know everything." the Spy began. "But there are those that question your loyalty to our cause. Validar was investigating you before he died. He had a lieutenant of his keep a eye on you."

"Parma..." Said Vasto with a growl.

"Yeah... It seems like he found something he didn't like. Validar died before he could deal with it. But then this mission came up, and Aversa realised you were both in a prefect position to perform the mission and perhaps prove your loyalty to Plegia." Said the spy.

"...So." Said Vasto.

"I had to tell her what happened in that village yesterday. That you not only didn't kill the Ylissean's, but you intervened And gave a speech about ending this war." Said the spy.

"...Fuck!" Shouted Vasto.  
His men turned to each other, worried.

" She wrote a letter to me today. I believe that she thinks this will be the last straw. Commander Vasto, if you do not return to Plegia with the Exalt, then do not return to Plegia at all." Said the spy.

Vasto ran a hand through his hair. His own government was spying on him. He may have not been perfect, but he bloody well fought for his country. Vasto considered himself loyal to Plegia.  
"...Tell your mistress that we will bring back the Exalt. And I'll have a good discussion with her on the value of trust when I return to the Capital." Said Vasto.

"Yes sir. I'm sorry sir." Said the spy.

"You're just doing your job. Just as I will do mine. However, should I find you following me and my men again, Papers or no papers, I will hang what remains of your body from the canyon of breakneck." Threatened Vasto.  
The Spy gulped.

"Let him go boys!" Ordered Vasto.  
A hole in the circle appeared, and the spy ran through it.

Looking back onto the army, the spy stared straight into Vasto's eyes.  
The spy saw Anger, Betrayal and Resolution. But no fear.

* * *

Later that night, once again the men sat around a fire.  
"I can't believe it. Our own army spying on us." Said Halio.

"And yet we have received no reinforcements. It's like they want us to fail, and are waiting for us to do so!" Said Suscepto.

"This is one of the most important missions of the War so far, and the Grimleal want to play politics?" Said Arca. Clavis nodded.  
Vasto tilted his head up from his coyote soup.

"Forget them. In the coming days, forget this. We have enough to worry about without some Grima damned Paranoid Schizos." Said Vasto.

"Sir, they'll banish you if we fail." Said Halio. "If..."

"Failure was never a option Khaplhja, not before, not now." Said Vasto.

"But it's got to be worrying. Perhaps if we didn't save those people..." said Gorisiti.

"I won't let fear compromise who I am. I would've still saved those people, regardless of whether or not my stationed depended on it. I meant everything I said." Said Vasto.  
For a few seconds, the fire was quiet. Only the Rumbustious laughter from the Privates fire interrupted the silence.

"What happened to Plegia." Said Arca.

"Revenge happened." Said Clavis. "If those Yllisean's hadn't tried to wipe us out because of what god we worshipped, we wouldn't be here right now. King Garrus might still be in charge, the Grimleal wouldn't have so much say in politics, and we'd wouldn't be spied on by our own leaders."

"But it did happen." Said Gorisiti. "Those bastards killed my older brother. They burnt my town, and then had the audacity to act haughty and pretend like their the purest people on the planet. That we are evil for wanting to defend ourselves. What kind of god demands the death of thousands?"

"Both of ours apparently." Said Vasto, grinning slightly.

"Heh. Gods. Who'd want em?" Said Suscepto.

"Afterlife is pretty useful in our line of work." Replied Vasto.

"Ehhh, Grima's afterlife ain't that good." Said Halio.

"Could be worse. There's these people on Valm that believe when you die, unless you die in battle, no matter how good you are your sent to a featureless plane of existence until the universe ends." Said Vasto. "At least if your loyal and worship Grima you get rewarded in the next life, and power in this one."

"But those Naga worshippers get their plane of brilliance if you die and did good. Doesn't matter how loyal or how much you worship, straight to paradise." Said Clavis.  
Vasto laughed.

"Yeah, like we've all been boy scouts our entire lives. I've blasphemed enough that I ninety percent sure that under Naga I'd be sent to hell. And I'm not devout enough to get into Grima's heaven." Said Vasto.

"True dat." Said Halio.

* * *

_"The Cycle must be broken!" shouted Vasto, as he wielded a steel sword with a black sharp edge.  
His opponent, who I can not make out, merely laughs.  
_

.

"_Come and have a go if you think your hard enough!" Shouted Vasto looking about seventeen, as he swings a sword towards a bandit.  
The bandit jumps backs a little and smiles a smug smile.  
Of course, Vasto predicted this, and ran forward and swung in the opposite direction twice as fast.  
The bandit looked shock as his intestines began to drop onto the floor.  
_

_"Your a heck of a swordsman Corporal!" Shouted Lieutenant Mustafa as he threw his axe into another bandit. "Always thought you'd take after your dad and become a Wyvern Lord."  
_

_"I applied last time, but they said that I wasn't experienced enough." Vasto replied, catching his breath for a second.  
_

_"You tell them that you were a key part of operation SENTINAL?" Asked Mustafa as he dragged the axe out of the bandit.  
_

_"Yeah. They said that was why they didn't kick me out of the army after the war ended." Said Vasto.  
_

_"Damn. Tell you what, when your eighteen, I'll tell them to make you a Wyvern rider myself." Said Mustafa, as the two of them began to run towards a group of bandits near the corner club.  
_

_"You'd do that?" Asked Vasto.  
_

_"To the kid that saved my life more times then I can count? Hell, I'd challenge them to a duel if I thought it would work." Said Mustafa.  
_

_"Your a good friend Mustafa." Said Vasto. "Ten to one I kill more of them then you do."  
_

_"Likewise Vasto. And your bloody on!" Shouted Mustafa.  
The bandits spotted the two of them running towards them, and drew their own weapons.  
_

* * *

Diary entry 129  
_So... High command is watching me. Or was, assuming that spy actually listened to my threats. He might not be the only spy though.  
Paranoia. Just what I need before a major mission.  
I've elected to ignore it. I had no intention of failing my mission anyway. But it does mean that retreat, at least for me, isn't much of a real mission.  
I received a raven today. Carrying a letter from the Grimleal.  
They neither confirm or deny what the spy told me, but they at least have given me some intel.  
So... Our "spy" in the Haildom is the Hierarch. The man that had raised the Exalt since she was nine is betraying her. And for what? So that he can be safe? No other demands. No family to look after?  
I suppose he is already basically selling out his own family, what difference does it make.  
Still, it makes my blood boil.  
This traitorous bastard is a fair weather ally.  
Fuck high command.  
I'll make sure he stays "Safe".  
Apparently, he said he and the Shepherds will be there tomorrow.  
I told the men this. We'll be at Breakneck pass by 4 o'clock this afternoon.  
Tomorrow... This war ends. Chrom and his Shepherds will die. The Exalt will be our prisoner._

* * *

For the last time before they would fight again, the men sat around the fire in the shadow of the canyon, eating bear. Quartermaster Johio had made sure that they had a good meal before tomorrow. For them, it might be the last dinner some of them would ever eat. These weren't bandits used to dealing with Civilians. This was the elite of Ylisse.

Moods were varied. Some were excited, others cautious. The fact that they had been spied on was still in some of the men's minds.  
But for one night, they put that aside.

"Gentleman, I'd like to make a speech!" Said Vasto, gaining the attention of all twenty nine men.

"Tomorrow, the most difficult battle we may ever face will happen. Some of us may die. But after the last four days, I know that each and everyone of you will do your absolute best to stop those Ylliseans. I also know that I am proud of every single one of you. Tomorrow, we don't fight because some bitch back at home ordered us too. We don't fight because we fear death. We fight because we need to. Because we know that our ancestors watch over us. And that this is what they'd want." Said Vasto.

"And through our actions tomorrow, we shall guarantee ourselves a place at their side. We will come back heroes. Fear not for your lives. Nor for your brothers. For we shall all meet at the end. And we shall all meet at the bar on the other side, and drink to remember the day that we fought for Plegia. That we won for Plegia!"

The men cheered, and took a drink.

"Not all of you were friends before this mission. You are men of action, forces of nature, and you clashed. But here, at what is the beginning of the end, I know that you are all brothers. We are all brothers. There is not a man here I would not die for. And I hope that there is not a man that you would not do the same for." Said Vasto.

The men shouted, a few in agreement, others in pride.

"For Plegia! For yourselves!" Shouted Vasto.

"For Plegia! For us!" shouted the men.

The men stood up and gave a round of applause.

* * *

Vasto stroked Yamakaze. The sun was beginning to reach the Horizon. The Hierarch was late.

Everyone was tense. At any second, Chrom, the Exalt and the Shepherds would enter the valley, and the spring would be sprung.

"I'm ready when you are sir." Said Gorisiti.  
Vasto turned to the Wyvern rider next to him.

"Don't die Gorsisiti." Said Vasto.

"I'll try Vasto." Said Gorisiti with a weak smile.  
Finally, a old man entered the canyon, followed by a group of people.  
_Show time.  
_

The old man was visibly nervous, even at this distance.  
He looked forwards, to where Vasto had hid his foot soldiers. Then he turned to the top of the cliff, where Vasto was.  
The old man ran forward, and Vasto took that as his signal.  
He flew down, which caused the men to step out of their hiding places. The Wyvern riders cut off the way they came.  
Vasto landed right in front of the Old man, just as some 20ft behind him Chrom and the Shepherds drew their weapons.

"Are you the man they sent to guarantee my safety?" Asked the Heirarch.  
Vasto couldn't help but laugh, and stroked his chin.

"Well, you lead the Shepherds here, Exalt too. Sadly, Plegia has no need for men so pathetic as to betray their own king for a moment's safety." Said Vasto, as he drew his axe.

"Your Seniors guaranteed my safety!" Screamed the old man, stepping away from the scary man on the Wyvern.

"You'll be rewarded as a traitor deserves." Said Vasto. In a instant, Yamakaze rushed forward and Vasto swung his Axe into the old man's skull.  
He died almost instantly.  
_Too good for him  
_Vasto looked at the body, and then turned his attention to Chrom.

"Smell that men! The winds of fortune are blowing our way!" Shouted Vasto. The nearby men cheered.

"You killed a man placed under your protection!" Shouted the blue haired Prince.

"Chrom isn't it? I'm Commander Vasto of the Plegian army. I'll give you one chance to surrender, and I promise... Your death's will be quick." Said Vasto.

"Long live Ylisse!" He shouted.

"Fair enough." said Vasto with a shrug. "You know, once I kill you, I'll make sure they erect statues in my honor."

"You won't leave this Canyon alive!" Shouted the prince.

"Hah!" Snorted Vasto. "On the contrary. I'll splatter your bodies across the canyon floor!"

"Let us not idly threaten each other." Said the prince.

"Hah! Good. You're right. Let our weapons do the talking!" Said Vasto with his traditional shit eating grin.  
Vasto pointed his bloody axe at Chrom.

"Any last words?" Asked Vasto.

"I'll save it for a real fight." Said Chrom.  
Vasto shrugged.

"I've heard better." Said Vasto.

With those words, Chrom and a grey haired pegasis rider charged forward.  
Vasto kicked Yamakaze and she took to the air.

"Attack!" Shouted Vasto as he charged towards the back of the line, joining Gorisiti behind the Shepherds.  
The barbarians, under command of Sergeant Arca, charged towards the Chrom and the Pegasis knight. They surrounded Chrom, desperately trying to kill him. But he aptly parried every blow, and the pegasis knight was forcing them back away from the prince.

As Vasto flew over the Shepherd's, he could see they were fighting with four people, a grey haired Archer, a Black hair sword's man, a young girl who had a resemblance to the exalt and a Heavy armor wearing knight on a horse.

"Adsulto!" Vasto shouted. Yamakaze turned on her side, and Vasto jumped. He tried to swing at the back of the swordsman, but with lightening fast reflexes, the swordsman parried his swing with his sword.

Vasto landed with a roll, and stood up, just in time to leap to the side as the swordsman swung downwards with his sword.  
Vasto swung his axe again, but the swordsman parried the swing to the side, before attempting to stab Vasto.  
Vasto twisted around, then whistled three times, before holding his hand into the air.

The swordsman was about to swing again, before he looked around and noticed the rapidly approaching Wyvern. He dived to the side as the Wyvern flew past him and grabbed Vasto in his front claws.  
Yamakaze turned upside and let go of Vasto, before spinning around again and dropping. Vasto landed right on top of Yamakaze and quickly grabbed the reins.  
_Holy shit that was close!_

* * *

Vasto looked around the battle field. The Shepherd's were beginning to push pass Suscepto's thieves, and Suscepto himself was trying to parry both a man in a purple coat and Shirtless axe wielding warrior.

Suscepto ducked beneath the shirtless guys axe swing and stabbed at his leg.  
_YES!  
_

The coat wearing man blasted him with a fire spell. His Face...caught on fire as he fell to the floor, whilst a horse riding young lady healed the warrior back to functionality.

_Oh crap...  
_

Suscepto and his thieves lied in pools of their own blood. Vasto desperate hoped that Suscepto would get up, but the fire raged on and on.

_One more reason to kill these bastards.  
_

Vasto headed towards Chrom and the pegasis knight, who fighting off some of both Arca's barbarians and Clavis's Myrmidons.  
As Vasto flew towards them, another pegasis knight joined the battle field.

_Whoever she is, she isn't Plegian.  
_

Vasto turned and flew straight towards the knight.  
For a moment, both their eyes meet. Stubbled man on a wyvern, Fair lady on a pegasis.  
Then, they charged.

As they got close, Vasto swung his axe at her pegasis, trying to remove her mount beneath her, hoping to send her tumbling into the Canyon below.  
Aptly, she dodged the attack and cut Vasto's shoulder with her lance.

_Son of a bitch!  
_

Vasto clutched his shoulder. It was his left one.

_I still have my axe arm.  
_

Vasto swung around and flew low.  
In that moment, Vasto took sight of the battlefield, and time seemed to slow down.

Arca was screaming Clavis's name as the pegasis knight plunged her lance into his heart.

Gorisiti had taken a arrow to his lung, and was trying to fly away from the battlefield. But the knight had charged him, sending him off his mount, which soon landed right on top of him.

Halio was fighting off with both shirtless warrior and black haired swordsman, standing his ground next to the dying bodies of his men.

_My god...  
_

Vasto just had to make this worth it. Chrom had his back to him, a few of his men were left. All Vasto had to do is charge and kill the prince, grab the Exalt and Halio, and beat a hasty retreat.

Vasto didn't want to leave his men behind, but the mission came first. Vasto checked his shoulder, which was rapidily bleeding. Perhaps he should just hand the reins to Halio and fight them off here. He had let his men down. He had Plegia down.  
Vasto readied his axe and screamed

"I won't let fear compromise who I am!"  
He charged forward, filled with hate and purpose.  
He got closer to Chrom, who was still fighting what remained of Arca's barbarians.  
_He hasn't noticed!_

Vasto pulled his axe back, and readied himself to swing.  
He was within 10 metres of Chrom, he was so close...  
Vasto felt Yamakaze stop.  
A arrow had gone straight into her skull.  
She hit the ground fast, and both Rider and Wyvern skidded to a halt.

* * *

Chrom looked around the battlefield. Under Robin's excellent strategy, they had defeated the Plegians. Only 5 men remained.

Chrom turned around to face the dead Wyvern. It was a magnificent creature. Old, yet powerful. Well trained in life. Virion had made a fantastic shot.  
The five men, including their sergeant, were retreating, but were stuck between the cliff face and the Shepherds.  
Chrom and the others walked towards them.  
"any last words?" Chrom asked to the survivors.

"Yeah... *Cough!* Come and have a fucking go if you think your hard enough!" Shouted a voice from behind. The Plegian Commander was still alive.

Chrom turned around to face a limping Vasto. The Shepherds turned their bodies, facing both Vasto and the survivors.

"Just you and me Chrom. My men have lost enough. They don't deserve to die like animals. We've failed." Said Vasto as he clutched his shoulder.

"Then why should I fight you?" asked Chrom.

"Would you not offer me a warriors death? One Commander to another." Said Vasto. "But my men go free."  
Chrom looked around the valley.

"You killed the hierarch." said Chrom quietly.

"Almost enough blood has been spilt here Princeling. Just one more death to make it so. Let it be mine, not my men." said Vasto.

"You would die for your men?" Asked the Robed man.

"I would die on my feet. Will you not face me?" Asked Vasto.

"Chrom, please, don't..." Said the Grey haired Pegasis knight. But Chrom moved forward, practise swinging his sword.

"Robin, allow the Plegian's to retreat. If they try and turn back, kill them." Ordered Chrom.

"Commander!" Shouted Halio.

"I'll see you on the other side Halio. End the cycle Khalphja." Said Vasto with a half smile. He turned to Chrom.

"You have almost nothing to fear Chrom. I'm losing blood, and you've got two healers on your side. This will be a easy fight." Said Vasto as he drew his Axe.

"Why fight?" Said Chrom as the two began to circle each other.

"Because... Because It's what I've done my entire life, why stop here at the end?" Said Vasto.  
The two men ran towards each other, and Axe and sword collided. The two struggled to over power each other, before breaking away again.

"You fight well, even injured." Said Chrom.

"No point half arsing it." Said Vasto. Chrom swung his sword into Vasto's side, which he only just parried, sending him to the floor.  
He shakily got back onto his feet.

"Tell you what Commander. You last two minutes against me, I have Maribelle heal you and you can go back to Plegia." Said Chrom.

"And what? Explain to mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters why I lived whilst their loved ones died? Why Little Jacobk will grow up without a father?" Said Vasto. "I failed them."

"You had no chance. You lacked mages, I could use my tankly powerhouses without fear of injury. At least, that's what my strategist told me." Said Chrom.

"...A Ylissean offering mercy? Where were you during the last war?" Said Vasto.

"... I was five years old." Said Chrom.

"I had to kill a man when I was fourteen. Don't give me that." Said Vasto. "I'm pretty sure that's a fourteen year old in your squad too."  
One of the Shepherd mages fumed a little.

"Last chance Commander. No one needs to know." Said Chrom.

"What's the point? I failed this mission. I can't go home again." Said Vasto. He charged, swinging his axe at Chrom.  
Chrom parried it with his sword. But left his left side of the body open as Vasto twisted round and kicked him in the side.

The prince tumbled sideways but quickly got back up. Vasto walked backwards slowly, forcing Chrom to go to him.  
Chrom charged, and fake a swing,but before he carried through, as Vasto prepared to parry it, Chrom instead stabbed with his sword, almost reaching Vasto's heart.  
The Plegian leapt back, surprised by Chrom's cunning.  
Vasto charged, and Chrom easily parried his swing. But then Vasto swung again, and again. As Chrom prepared to parry for a forth time, Vasto lept back and threw his axe.  
The heavy axe collided with Chrom's sword, smacking him in the head with the flat of it.

However, now Vasto's axe was at Chrom's feet, and he easily kicked it away.  
Chrom pointed his sword at Vasto.  
Vasto, however, raised his fists.

"Show me a good time Prince!" He shouted.

Vasto charged, faster this time, Chrom swung, but Vasto quickly stopped and waited for Chrom to finish the swing, before punching him square in the chest.  
But Vasto didn't stop there, kicking and punching, but Chrom slashed downwards with Falchion.

In a instant, Vasto grabbed the sword mid swing. He was able to push it to his left side.  
Chrom simply stabbed Vasto right in his already injured shoulder.  
Vasto let out a cry of pain, and sunk onto his left knee. He looked up to Chrom, who was standing In front of him. He spat to his right, then turned back to the prince.

"Go ahead. End it. You won." Said Vasto.

Chrom pointed his sword at Vasto's neck. For a few seconds nothing happened. Then Chrom sheathed his sword.

"Maribelle, heal him!" He shouted.

Vasto opened his mouth to disagree, but a young lady with blonde hair walked towards Vasto and poked his wound with a staff.  
Vasto Screamed in pain again as the wound closed. In hindsight, he doubted that the girl was healing him as she would her comrades.

"Oh don't be a baby." She said.

"Well..*Cough*... You try getting stabbed three times in the same place." Said Vasto.

Vasto shakily got onto his feet.

"Did you not hear a word I said prince. I can't go home if I failed. You may as well kill me." Said Vasto.

"I'm not in the habit of killing defenceless prisoners Commander. You are free to go, but I hope that our paths don't cross again." Said Chrom.  
Before Vasto could say any more, the Shepherd's had already walked to far away.

* * *

Vasto looked around. The battlefield had been looted. There was nothing left. It seemed they had even taken Vasto's Axe.  
_I have nothing... No home... No money... No weapon  
I can't see mother, or sister, or Mustafa ever again. I failed my men. I failed Plegia/  
_Vasto stood shakily for a few seconds.  
He turned around to face the canyon. He could jump in, and end it.

But then he noticed a sword. Carefully, Vasto walked towards it and picked it up.  
It was a fine sharp black blade, about the slightly long then Vasto's right arm. The fire spell must've sent it flying. He looked down the length of the black sharp blade, and saw a inscription on the top.

_"Property of Suscpeto. Sic Semper Timidis."_

Vasto looked towards the now burnt body of his friend.  
Vasto owed it to them. To stop... Who?

Vasto had enough of causes for the moment. The Haildom and Grimleal could wipe each other out for all he cared. But he owed it to his men to make their death's mean something.

Vasto walked towards the body of Proscepto, father of a infant child, husband of a lovely wife.  
He picked up Proscepto's sheath and placed his sword back inside, then attached it to his waist.

Vasto stood there for a few seconds, before a cut on his clothes opened up, and a piece of paper dropped out.  
Vasto knelt down and look at it.

It was Mustafa's letter.  
The Grimleal had been spying on him and had threatened him with exile.

Perhaps... Perhaps Vasto was wrong. And Gangrel did have Mustafa's family hostage.  
But there was no way Vasto could go to the capital city without being spotted.  
But... He had to try.  
Vasto Clutched the letter. He had purpose.

And so, with a heavy heart, Vasto began the long walk north...

* * *

**_So there we are, unlike last time, Vasto's forces were completely curb stomped. Not nice.  
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you stick around for the now AU we have entered._**


	4. Chapter 4: Make your own kind of music

_**Master & Commander:  
Chapter Four: Make your own kind of music**_

The forest road seemed much more traversable from the air.  
But it was not the first time that day Vasto had mourned the loss of Yamakaze.  
When he had pillaged what he needed from the pouches on her side, he gave her a decent funeral, by setting her alight.

She had been the last connection Vasto had with his Father. He said he found her in Wyvern valley some 25 years ago. Vasto stopped himself on remembering their first meeting. It was too painful to look back at the moment. He just had to keep walking forward.  
Where he was going Vasto didn't know. He had no intention in staying in Ylisse, and he couldn't go back to Plegia. He hated the cold of Ferox.

Vasto was truly lost.  
But the north called to him, so he walked.  
In his rucksack were only a few things. A diary, a letter, some food, some toiletries and a single knitted scarf.  
He left his sleeping bag back at breakneck. He left his knitted turtle-neck there. He left his friends bod...

Vasto kept walking. Perhaps the walk would do him some good.  
His absent mindedly clutched his left shoulder. The scar was still there, but there was no pain.

_Why did Chrom spare my life? What purpose does it serve him to spare a enemy?  
It's not as if I can help him, or that I will. I'm a wyvern rider without a wyvern. A Commander without troops. A loyal Soldier without something to be loyal too.  
_Vasto just kept walking. At this rate, it'd be days before he reached any signs of Civilisation.  
He'd run of water within four days. Food within five.  
Yet he still kept walking.  
He couldn't stop. Wouldn't stop. He had to get away from his thoughts that seemed relentless in their pursuit.

* * *

Before long, the dirt path had widened, then got cleaner, more maintained, and before long he had reached a main road.  
In stretched on for miles, to both the north and the south.

Despite himself, Vasto's body was screaming for rest. He slumped down at the side of the road.  
He grabbed a loaf of bread from out of his bag, and gulped some of his water flask.

The air was warm, not Plegia warm, but comfortable for the tired man. In the distance, a lark sang.  
He almost forget where he had been walking from. Forgot the bodies of his friends, men under his command, his protection. He forgot his failure. His uselessness. He forgot that he had killed one of the few things his father had left him, one of the few thinks that linked the two. That he couldn't go home, for all that awaited for him there was guilt and execution.

But it was only for a moment. All these thoughts came rushing back to him._  
_Perhaps one day he'd be able to forgive himself for it. But did he deserve to?

Vasto was about to go to close his eyes and rest for a while when a carriage pulled up to him.  
The Plegian looked up and saw the red headed women driving the carriage, flash him a practised smile.

"Not the greatest place to rest buddy." The lady said to him. "Where you heading?"

Vasto slowly got up to his feet. His face was the image of tiredness, but he tried to hide it. Fresh scars still dotted his face from where he fell from Yamakaze. His armor generally looked torn, and his sword was sheathed at his side.

"North." Was his only reply.

"Pretty vague." Said the lady with a smile.

"You know, I'm one of those terrible Plegian's you probably heard about. We eat babies and sacrifice kittens to our dark and evil god. It might be good for you to keep going." Said Vasto, trying to mope in peace.

"Well aren't you a social type. Besides, I'd be a pretty poor merchant if I hadn't ever travelled to Plegia. What's your name fellow traveller?" She asked.

Vasto was disarmed. Despite both his incredible rudeness, and his nationality, the merchant girl was still talking.

"Comman... Vasto. Just Vasto." He replied, briefly looking to the side.

"You're a Commander? You must be quite good with that?" Said the girl, as she looked at Vasto's sword.

"I was a Wyvern rider. So no, not especially. Besides, I... Am between jobs at the moment." Said Vasto.

"Oh? Did you leave the army because you were disgusted at what they were doing? At your mad king? How noble." Said the merchant girl drolly.

"Nothing like that. I failed my mission, and my men paid for it." Said Vasto.

The merchant girl paused, unsure exactly of how to respond to that. But she decided to plough on ahead.  
"Well, I could use a guard for this caravan. Bunch of bandits easily killed the last group I hired. Had to fight off a entire army." Said the merchant girl.

"An entire army?" Asked Vasto surprised. "Doesn't sound like you need any help."

"Oh, I had some help. The Shepherd's were nice enough to step in and help me." She said.

Vasto stayed quiet for a few seconds, looking for a brief second quite angry. But he soon returned to stoicism.  
"Huh. Lucky you." He said plainly. "I'm afraid I'm not looking for work at the moment. I'm just travelling north."

"Well that's where I'm heading Plegian, and I could use some company that knows how to wield a weapon. During war the roads get quite dangerous. You might need someone to cover your back too." Said the merchant girl.

"I had some people who might. But they're gone now." Said Vasto.

"Then make some new friends. I'm not asking you to sign a contract. We get to where you want to stop, and you can leave. Free room and board, a little money, and there might not even be anything for you to fight." Said the merchant girl.

"That'd be a shame." said Vasto.

"Heh. That's the spirit." Said the merchant girl. "What do you say?"  
The girl held out her hand, offering to pull Vasto onto the carriage she was driving.

On the one hand, Vasto wanted to be alone, to wallow in self pity and shame. On the other hand, the nearest village was days away on foot, and he had no money to buy things with. Besides, the job wasn't very difficult. If there was one thing Vasto knew how to do, it was kill people.

Vasto reached out to the girls hand and jumped into the seat next to her. He placed his hands behind his neck.  
"Sorry, I never got your name?" He asked.

"Anna. Just another Anna." Said the merchant girl.

* * *

A several hours later, and Vasto and Anna hadn't encountered anyone during the ride. Vasto had stayed pretty quiet throughout the ride, answering some of Anna's questions, but never asking his own or making idle chit chat. But the night was dark now, and they had set up camp a few metres from the side of the main road, in a clearing. Vasto had set up his shelter whilst Anna had her Caravan. Embers were soaring into the starlit sky above, and the two were eating their dinner of bear and bread.

"Well, that was a boring day." Said Anna as the two of them sat around the fire they had set up.

Vasto took a bite into the bear meat he held in his hands.

"Not one brigand, Rogue or Bandit. You're really ripping me off." Said Anna.

"Hey, could be worse, I could be one of those really talkative guys." Said Vasto.

"Something tells me you usually are." Replied Anna. "So what happened to make a Plegian Commander wander the wilderness?"

Vasto stopped eating, and placed the bear meat back onto his plate. He grabbed his flask and took a swig of water.

"We had a mission. Capture the Exalt." Replied Vasto. Anna looked shocked, but Vasto held up his hand. "We failed. The Shepherd's were too good, they wiped us out almost entirely. Out of thirty men, me and five others are the only survivors. Those men get to return to Plegia. I... Since I failed, I can't. Either I walk, or I go home and get executed."

Anna's eyes widened.  
"My Career was on a thread. I wasn't... Devout enough. I spared to many people, didn't praise Grima enough for the Grimleal's liking. And they basically control any aspect of the Government that Gangrel can't be bothered too." Said Vasto. "Still, I shouldn't have survived. I was injured, had killed the man that had raised the Exalt since she was nine years old and had done nothing but insult Chrom. But we got into a duel, and he kicked my arse. I was trying to fight him unarmed by the end."

"But you're still alive?" Asked Anna. "How?"

"Mercy I suppose. It's okay to kill my men, fathers and brothers, sons and uncles. But for me? Because I talked shit, I got spared. Because of my rank. They didn't even take me as a prisoner. Just left me to wander." Said Vasto.

"Perhaps Chrom saw good in you. Perhaps..." Said Anna.

"I'm the enemy Anna. I'm a symbol for all that my country has done to Ylisse. All the towns were burnt, all the people we've killed. Just as every Ylissean is a symbol of what they did to use. The genocide, the slaughter." Replied Vasto.

"Did you do those things?" Asked Anna.

"What?" Vasto asked.

"Did you kill innocent people because they reminded you of something that happened fifteen years ago?" Asked Anna, her stare intense.

"No... but that's not important. If it had been any other man, any other commander, perhaps they had. Chrom had no idea I... couldn't do what my country expected me to. So why spare me?" Asked Vasto.

"Perhaps he could tell. Maybe he saw it in you." Said Anna. "Or maybe Chrom is smart, and he saw a golden opportunity to have a Plegian Commander be in debt to him?"

"I am not in debt to the man. I'd rather he killed me." Said Vasto. He sighed. "Sorry. I'm not usually this melodramatic and angsty, but events of the last few days have caught up to me."

"I can tell. You seem like the type to always have a witty line or a joke rather then a soliloquy on the futility of war." Said Anna.

Vasto laughed.  
"So people say." Said Vasto with a slight grin. "Perhaps If I hadn't been... weak. If I had done what my country told me to do... I would be able to go home and help my people."

"Could you live with yourself? You don't seem like the type that could commit monstrosities." Said Anna.

Vasto laughed a hollow laugh.  
"I've been a soldier since I was fourteen. War has been my home for fifteen years. I'm perfectly capable of living with myself, no matter what I had done. But... It just wouldn't have been right." Said Vasto. "I would never... I wont let fear compromise who I am."

"A good way to live." Said Anna.

"Every man's gotta have a code. What's yours?" Asked Vasto.

Anna pointed to herself.  
"Me? Nothing in this life comes for free I suppose." Said Anna.

"You enjoy making money I see." Asked Vasto.

"There are easier ways of making money then what I do. I could sell weapons to both sides of this war, I could steal from the Ylissitol treasury, trust me, it's been done. I could use time travel to bring back future technology and sell it here at a premium." Said Anna.

"Wait, what did you say about time..." Said Vasto profoundly confused.

"But Merchant work is honest. I get to travel this world, take in all it's sites. It's cultures. I get to feel like I'm helping people, even if I am selling items at four times market value." Said Anna.

Vasto elected to ignore that bit about time travel.  
"Must be pretty dangerous though. Travelling the continent on your own, only the occasional mercenary to lend a inept hand?" Asked Vasto.

"I can handle myself. It's more just boring in between. People always say that it's not the destination, it's the journey. But when the journey is one you've been on several hundred times and covered in bandits, you can get a little cynical about that." Said Anna.

"Huh. Ever thought of settling down? Keeping your vast hoard of gold I'm sure you have and buying a mansion by the sea?" Asked Vasto.

"Something tells me that you understand what it's like to be in a career for most of your life. It takes over all aspects of your life. Besides, I don't sleep with my employees. Makes laying them off awkward." Said Anna with a wink.

"Don't worry lass, you're not my type. Red hair is predominately a sign of royalty in Plegia though, so any other Plegian man might fall head over heels for you." Said Vasto.

"Ah. I always wondered why Plegian men were particularly interested in me." Said Anna.

"Well, since our current ruler is a guy, you should perhaps not bother. You might not be exactly... their type either." Said Vasto.

"Hey! Men can like me without them being reminded of their mad king!" Said Anna.

"Just ask them next time your in Plegia." Said Vasto with a smirk.

"All right then. What's your type Mr Commander "I'm immune to your charms"." Said Anna.

"You don't say Mr Commander, it's one or the other." Said Vasto.

"You going to answer the question?" Said Anna.

"Fine fine... I don't know really. I've never bothered to have a serious relationship with anyone since I joined the army. I just go into the nearest Tavern and wake up the next morning in a strangers bed every leave." Said Vasto. "Most of the time their blondes though, so I suppose that might be it."

"No idea about personality?" Asked Anna.

"... You don't get leave do you? We're not there to whisk them off their feet and fall in love." Said Vasto.

"But you might not get leave ever again. Your not a bad looking bloke if you get rid of the stubble." Said Anna. "You've got to have some idea."

"The stubble stays. I like it." Said Vasto. "And... I don't know. I suppose I like someone with a little... fire in them. Can't stand people who just roll over for everyone, and allow themselves to be kicked by life."

"So no Baker's daughter who's been in the home her entire life." said Anna.

"No. Someone who does what they want, says what they want to say, and damn the consequences." Said Vasto.

"Well that's good. I thought for a moment that you'd say a wench that knows how to cook, and is barefoot and stays only in the kitchen or the bedroom." Said Anna.

Vasto smirked.  
"Boring." He said. "So... What's your type huh?"

"My type? Well, I like the dark mysterious kind of guy. Not angsty and whiny, but sexily Brood occasionally. Someone who's not afraid to get dirty. Oh, and rich. Hopefully very much so. In fact, I could go for Mr PlainMcNiceguy if he was loaded." Said Anna.

"Clever." Said Vasto.

"Isn't it?" Replied Anna.

Vasto and Anna sat there quietly for a few seconds. The howl of a owl in the distance and the crackling of the fire being the only noise between them.

"So where does a Wyvern Rider learn how to use a sword?" Asked Anna.

"Necessity of war. I wasn't a Wyvern rider till I was Eighteen, and before that I had a been a Myrmidon. Kind of hard to forget." Said Vasto, as he hand briefly rested on Proscepto's sword.

"Four years practise? You've got to be pretty good." Said Anna.

"Not as good as I once was. But I'm sure I can get back into it. Not like I can get another Wyvern again." Said Vasto with a sad look on his face.

"Hey, maybe when you've earned enough money you can go to Wyvern Valley and get another one." Said Anna.

"Yamakaze, that's my old wyvern, was my Father's. He found him during a exercise in Valm. He brought her up until she was Old enough to ride, and then became one of Plegia's greatest Wyvern riders. He eventually became a General. But it took 7 years to raise her up from pup to something he could ride into war. Wyvern's aren't like horses, they take several years to grow up large enough to ride, and you've got to train them." Said Vasto. "Hell, Me and Yamakaze had to train for about two years before we were used enough to each other to be effective in battle."

"Well heck. That is a commitment." Said Anna.

"Yeah. It's why it's so common for soldiers to take another person's Wyvern when the rider dies. It's much quicker then having one from birth. Plus, Wyverns can live for up to 70 years, it's not out of the question for it too happen at least 20 times to the same Wyvern." Said Vasto.

"Well, you've got a lifetime ahead of you to train a little guy." Said Anna.

"Most Lone warriors die by the time they are 34. Their are exceptions, but I doubt I'd be one of them. I probably won't live to see 32." Said Vasto.

"You're cheerful." Said Anna sarcastically.

"Eh, I don't mind. Who wants to grow old and senile?" Asked Vasto. "Only the good die young."

The two of them sat in silence again. The fire was beginning to die down, and they had finished their meal.

"I expect to leave bright and early tomorrow. So get some sleep Commander." Said Anna.

"Yes Ma'am. Night." Said Vasto as he stood up and placed his plate in a bucket to be washed in the morning.

* * *

The next day arrived, and by ten o'clock the two of them were already on the road again.

The sky was cloudless, the sun rising to it's apex soon, and the birds were singing their spring songs. It was almost relaxing, had Vasto not noticed something.  
The dirt path still stretched for miles, but Vasto remembered passing close by here some 3-4 days ago.

"We're going to Rumare aren't we?" Asked Vasto.

"Yep. You know the place?" Asked Anna as she turned to her quiet road companion.

"We passed it. Stopped there for about six hours. Had to deal with a local infestation problem." Said Vasto gruffly.

"Rats?" Asked Anna.

"Close enough." said Vasto. He turned back to the road, saying not another road.

"Do you think I'll be able to make much money there?" Asked Anna.

"Depends. Their town got pretty badly wrecked. So nothing expensive, but they'd love to perhaps get replacement for some of the items they lost." Said Vasto.

"I've got some trinkets, anything else?" Asked Anna.

"Hmm... I'm no merchant, but if you can probably sell some weapons. The Villagers might be still pretty paranoid about bandit attacks, so they will want to get something to defend themselves." Replied Vasto.

"I could sell them for double the market price and make a killing." Said Anna.

Vasto turned to her slightly disgusted, but soon returned to stoicism.

"They won't have much money. It'd be better if you sold them for less then that and sold more stock. Then you can see what you can buy in the Village." Said Vasto.

"Good point. Huh. Not often I get a caravan guard with such business acumen." Said Anna.

"Come from a Merchant family, it's my little sister that's the real brains when it comes to business." Said Vasto.

"Any chance I could trade you in for a superior model?" Asked Anna jokingly.

"I'm not sure she'd work for the competition, besides, she hasn't swung a sword in her life. I made sure she wouldn't have to." Said Vasto.

"Protective type I see?" Asked Anna.

"Not especially. Got no complaints from me when she wanted to marry her boyfriend of 3 years." Said Vasto. "It's a shame. I won't be able to go to her wedding."

"Maybe not. But one day you might be able to return." Said Anna.

"Maybe. We can dream." Said Vasto.

* * *

"Come one and all! Anna's marvellous mercantile merchandise market!" Shouted Anna to the villagers walking by. Some stared at her as they walked on by, others came to inspect the products, and some stared at the tall stubbled bodyguard next to her, swearing that it looked exactly like the Plegian Commander that saved their village not five days ago.

"How much for that?" Asked one of the Villagers, pointing towards a iron axe.

"740 gold sir." Said Anna quickly.

The man's eyebrows raised, but still, after a few minutes of deliberation, he still paid the full price.  
It still amused Vasto that people knew so little about the price of weapons. Even in the army, where he merely had to requisition weapons from Command, he still knew that he could get the axe at a good 400 with some haggling.

Vasto was still looking amused when a youngish girl, not older then thirteen walked towards him.

"Excuse me sir... Are you Commander Vasto?" she asked.  
Vasto looked towards her. He spent a few seconds trying to remember who she was, and where he saw her from:

_Vasto looked into the house. The people inside, a grey haired man, a young brown haired lady, and her daughter, looked at him with a mixture of fear and gratefulness. They recognised the uniform it seemed._

_Vasto nodded, then got back onto Yamakaze._

"...Yeah. That's me." Said Vasto.

"Wow! I never thought we'd see you again? Did you save Anna from a group of bandits too? Did you jump off your Wyvern like last time and kick their butts?" Asked the little girl.

Vasto looked towards Anna, who had a deeply amused look on her face.

"Where is your Wyvern anyway?" Asked the little girl.

Vasto turned back to her, unsure of how to answer.

"Hey Butt kicker, need a little help over here!" Shouted Anna, pointing to another box of weapons stuck in her carriage.

Vasto walked over and help carried the box over to the stand and set them up so other customers can see them.

"Thanks Anna." Said Vasto quietly.

"Anytime Butt kicker." Said Anna. Vasto Smirked.

"Not much better then the last nickname I had." Said Vasto.

"Hmm?" asked Anna.

"I was... Commander Stubble." Said Vasto shamefully.

"Commander stubble? You're right, that's gold." said Anna as she laughed.

"Keep it to yourself." Said Vasto, realising that she if she almost certainly would not be doing that.

"You've got it Commander... Stubble." Said Anna. Vasto rolled his eyes.

The two of them finished setting up the display and Vasto returned to standing around looking slightly menacing.

* * *

It was nearing the end of the day, and Anna had racked in several thousand gold from their work that day, whilst still having new and old stock to sell at the next village.

Anna told Vasto that she would continue to head North into Ferox for about another three weeks, after which she would be looping back around, assuming Ylisse isn't a burnt out battlefield by them. Vasto was welcome to stay with her, but he doubted he would. However, he could burn that bridge when he came to it.

The two of them decided to sleep on the road, the local inn was too badly damaged by recent events, and was the temporary home for a lot of displaced locals.

So once again, the two of them were on a clearing near the side of the road, sitting around a fire, talking. For once, Vasto was the first to talk.

"You know, I hadn't been camping for about three years till I accepted that mission." Said Vasto, as he and Anna once again sat around the fire. "I forgot what It was like... Sleeping under the stars. The sounds of nature. A warm outdoor fire."

"Not been on many missions eh?" Said Anna.

"When I first became a Commissioned officer at 23, I had plenty of missions. Mostly leading small armies on anti-bandit runs in the mountains or the desert. Then, When I became a Commander three years ago I was sent to a border fort between Ylisse and Plegia. Gangrel knew that a new war would start again soon, so I was likely to see some action. Alas, it took three years for it to start and the Yllisean's never tried to assault it." Said Vasto.

"They aren't a war like people." Said Anna.

"Not this generation. I guess you were pretty young during the last war, but they were vicious evil bastards then." said Vasto. "Our land, our families still bear the scars. Actually, what nation do you even come from?"

"Pfft... please." Was Anna's only reply.

"Fair enough." Said Vasto, and made a note never to ask that question again.

"What about you? Been in the Merchant business all your life?" Vasto asked.

"Since I was sixteen. Mum and Dad had no objection, all my sisters did it too. Just gave me some money, a Caravan and told me to make money. It was difficult to start with, but it turns out you can use your sister's contacts if you look and sound exactly like them." Anna Replied.

"Identical twins huh? That's cool." Said Vasto.

"Well, Anna had that birthmark, and Anna actually went into banking, but the point still stands." Said Anna.

"Hang on. Two of your identical sisters are called Anna?" Asked Vasto surprised.

"Oh no. All ten of my sisters are called Anna." Said Anna.

Vasto looked blankly at the red headed women in front of him.

"You know what. Fuck it, I'm not even surprised any more." Said Vasto.

"Have you never meet any of my sisters? Most people keep going on about how **I** ripped them off or how **I** stole from their house or how **I **gave them a bad loan. Honestly." Said Anna.

Vasto looked at Anna like she was a idiot, then proceeded to just return to his food.

* * *

Almost a week later, and the two of them arrived in the snowy border town of "Sanguis Gelu".

For the first day they were there, they had made roughly 2700 gold, and that was because they arrived at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.  
On the second day, they made 13000 gold, and had managed to stay in the inn and drink all night. Which of course, lead to problems the next morning.

* * *

A loud shrill scream awoke Vasto. He groggily opened his eyes.

He waited a few seconds to see if whoever screamed would scream again. When they didn't, he slowly got out of bed.  
He was glad he had managed to get a room last night, but he should learn to drink less. He wasn't Twenty Three any more, he couldn't just plough through a hangover in a few minutes.

He made his way to the on-suite and looked into his eyes.  
His stubble was beginning it's metamorphism into a beard. He quickly washed his body and face, threw on his clothes and armor, which luckily he had managed to wash yesterday and wouldn't smell to bad, then grabbed a razor and began to trim it. He, of course, wanted to keep his rough and _"sexy" _stubble, but it would do him no good if he grew a full on lumberjack's beard.  
He was almost finished when a guest entered his room.

Vasto turned around, razor still in his hand, to notice that a unwashed and bloody axe wielding bandit was in his room.  
The bandit looked at him.  
Vasto looked at his sword, right on the other side of the bed, far away from the bathroom. Then he turned to the razor.  
The bandit looked at the razor.

Vasto and Bandit charged at each other.  
Vasto easily ducked beneath the bandits horizontal axe swing as it embedded into the doorway.  
He then took the razor in his hand and held it too the bandit's neck.

"How many are there?" He asked, with a voice that was a mix between groggy and pissed off.

"I... Please..." whimpered the bandit.

"How many!" Vasto shouted, ignoring his now rising headache.

"About 35!" Said the bandit.

"Please don't..." Were the bandits last words as Vasto embedded the straight razor into his neck and drew it across his throat.

The bandit fell to the floor as Vasto returned to the bath room and washed the blood off his hands.

He reached into the cabinet and grabbed the Whisky glass he was drinking from the night before, poured himself several glasses of water, and swigged them as quickly as he could, in order to hopefully deal with his hangover.

Anna rushed into the room.  
"Vasto! Get up, the village is..." She began to shout, before noticing the body and Vasto calmly drinking water.  
"Umm... I see you know." Said Anna.

Vasto walked out of the bedroom, past Anna and around the bed.  
He picked up Procepto's sword and sheath and attached it to his hip.

"Yeah. I know." He said as he lightly clutched his head.

Anna drew her sword.  
"Then shall we." She asked.

Vasto sighed, then drew his own sword and placed it against his shoulder.  
"'Spose."

* * *

_**Aaaaand that's all for this chapter. Thought I might end it there, after all, long fight scene ahead. Hope your enjoying this fic and thanks for reading and reviewing.**_


	5. Chapter 5: Rules of nature

_**Master & Commander**_

_**Chapter 5: Rules of Nature**_

* * *

Vasto and Anna walked out of the Tavern room. The distant screams of Civilian's could be heard, and as the two of them stepped onto the landing, they readied themselves for a fight.  
Wordlessly, the two of them agreed they could not leave the village to it's fate, even if they were massively outnumbered and had no stake in it's survival.  
Vasto looked down into the main room of the Tavern and saw a squad of bandits, grabbing the alcohol behind the bar.

"Oi! You aren't putting that on my tab!" Shouted Vasto as he leapt over the Balcony and landed, with a thud, onto one of the tables, snapping it in half.  
He stood up and pointed his sword at the nearest Bandit.

"Show me a good time!" He shouted. The bandits prepared themselves for the coming fight.

Vasto made the first move, feigning a lunge at the nearest bandit. The bandit jumped back, furthering the distance between them.  
Vasto then grabbed one of the pieces of the shattered table and threw it straight at the head of the bandit.  
The bandit, enraged, ran towards Vasto, sloppily sending slash and swing after swing.  
Vasto parried each hit, carefully observing the bandits tell.

_So, his right leg move backwards before he swings with his left _Vasto thought as he parried a left slash whilst slowly moving backwards.  
_And he'll move his hand up the handle of his sword when he swings with his right._

As the bandit's right leg moved backwards, Vasto ran to his right, easily running around the bandit's swing before slashing the bandit in the neck

The bandit's body dropped to the floor as the other 3 bandits began to move closer towards Vasto.

At this moment, Anna dropped down from the Balcony, swinging her sword downwards onto the head of the left most bandit.

He was killed instantly, and she got ready to swing at the middle most bandit again before he even noticed she appeared.

"Now boys, I'm sure we can discuss this over a pint?" Asked Anna as she swung her sword at the middle bandit.  
She was, of course, probably lying.  
Maybe.

The bandit stepped back to get away from her slash, but her sword still dug into his shoulder. She pulled the sword out quickly and swung again.

Vasto Prepared himself, and as the bandit swung downwards with his sword, Vasto swung his sword upwards as hard as he possible could into the bandit's hand. His sword hit the Bandit's hand hard, slicing off his hands.  
The hands were still gripping the sword as they well onto the floor.

Anna slashed the bandit straight across the chest. The bandit clutched his chest as he fell onto the floor, a pool of blood rapidly swelling.

The handless bandit screamed and stepped away from that cocky Plegian arsehole with the sword.  
Vasto stood still, grinning a little as he sheathed his sword.

He picked up one of the table legs from the floor, span it around in his hands, then charged at the bandit.  
The bandit tried to block, forgetting momentarily the problem with that, as Vasto brought the table leg straight down onto the bandit's head, knocking him unconscious and cracking his skull.

The two of them stood there for a second, looking around the wrecked tavern. Five bodies, ignoring the one in Vasto's room. Blood on the floor, a pair of hands too. The bar had been raided, and one table was utterly destroyed.

"Normal Friday night on leave." Said Vasto with a grin.

"Should I be worried that this is the most cheery I've seen you since I hired you." Said Anna.

"Talking with strangers, standing out in the cold trying to look tough, that's boring. But fighting some criminal bastards, that never gets old." Vasto replied.

"Well, what's the plan?" asked Anna.

Vasto looked quizzically at her.

"You were a commander right? What's the plan?" Asked Anna again.

Vasto nodded, then walked over to the window and took a look.

"If the guy I killed in the bathroom was right, there should be about... thirty more bandits out there in the town. Best bet is they'd be by the marketplace. The Civilians if they're smart would be hiding inside their houses." Said Vasto. "We need to get somewhere where we can see across the entire marketplace, and plan our moves from there."

"There was that two story house for sale overlooking it." Said Anna. Vasto turned to her and smiled.

"Good thinking. You can open a locked door right?" Vasto asked.

Anna just laughed a little, basically answering Vasto's question.

"Right. We've got to move quickly and quietly. No doubt someone will come into the pub to check on these guys, but the later we leave fighting off thirty bandits the better." Said Vasto.

Anna nodded and smiled.

The two of them crouched down and walked towards the back door of the pub. Slowly, they opened the heavy wooden door and where in the beer garden.  
Vasto placed his hands against each other and placed both hands on his out stretched knee.

Anna nodded and stepped onto his hands, then climbed on top of the wall. She then helped Vasto climb up on top, and the two of them dropped down the other side as quietly as a man in armor and a well armed merchant could.

The two of them shook themselves down, then walked slowly ahead.

As they entered the Marketplace, they could see that all of the bandits were congregating in the centre.

"Oh shit!" Whispered Anna.

"What is it?" Asked Vasto.

"See that ugly guy giving orders?" She asked as they hid around a corner.

Vasto stuck his head out for a few seconds before returning to face Anna.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"I kind of sort of killed his brother." Said Anna. Vasto rolled his eyes.

"Great. Just what we needed. A bandit with a vendetta." Said Vasto.

"Shall we head into that house or not?" Asked Anna.

Vasto nodded, before checking around the corner the coast was clear.

To see directly infront of him two bandits staring right at him.

"Got some stragglers boss!" they shouted.

"Oh shit." Said Both Vasto and Anna as they drew their swords.

The two bandits were soon joined by four more. Then six more. Then Vincent walked into view.

"Oh how I have longgged for this. The murderer of my brother ready to face justice." Said the ugly bandit.

Vasto laughed a little.

"Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough." Vasto said cockily as he pointed his sword at Vincent.

"And who is this?" asked Vincent.

"That's Commander Vasto. He killed my last boss sir." Said one of the bandits.

"Another murderer? Then I believe it's time for a trial boys!" Shouted Vincent. "Here's your choice. Me and my men will kill you right here, right now, or you can try and defend yourselves in a trial. How do you wish to die?"

Just before Vasto was about to run through the nearest Bandit with his sword, Anna threw down her sword.

"We surrender." She said.

Vasto was just about to ignore her anyway when he remembered that she was actually his boss, and what she said goes.

So, grudgingly, he threw down his sword too.

* * *

"Welcome one and all!" Shouted Vincent. "Today, we hold the trial of the murderers Commander Vasto and Anna..."

"Just Anna." She said simply.

"The Defence will not interrupt." Said Vincent.

"You know, In Plegia typically the jury is filled with my peers, not by the very people I may have wronged." Said Vasto.

"Welcome to Vincent town." Said the ugly bandit. "In this court of law, there will be no peers."

Anna, try as she might, couldn't hold in a giggle.

"Grow up." said Vasto quietly to her, still smiling himself.

"SILENCE! The Murderers will not laugh at Vincent!" said Vincent.

"Look, Vinni, I've been on trial before. And this is nothing like that. In a few minutes, you're going to demand execution, Anna is going to do something smart, I'm going to be grinning sexily and we can all get back to our lives. Well, maybe not you guys." Said Vasto as he tilted his head towards the Bandit jury.

"Did you just threaten the entire jury?" Asked Anna.

Vasto shrugged.

"Eh. They're probably to dumb to understand that." Said Vasto.

"Now your insulting them." Said Anna as she slapped her hand onto her face.

"SILENCE. The evidence against you is clear. I saw you stab my Brother, my dear Victor, right in the heart. And you Commander Vasto, every single of the eleven men I hired saw you throw that axe into Jun." Said Vincent. "The evidence is stacked against you. What say you?"

Anna was about to try and tell them that she had pick locked the Hand cuffs the bandits had shoddily placed on her hands when Vasto simply placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Gentleman of the jury. Honourable Judge. I want to say something. It is my understanding that I and my boss here are arrested for murder? But what is murder? Is it the taking of a life? Does stealing a man's entire possessions count as taking a life? Does Marriage, which completely changes a man, do that? Does childbirth?" Asked Vasto. "I'm telling you, all I did was give Jun my axe at a accelerated speed. And Anna was merely attempting open heart surgery upon your brother."

"What." Said Anna flatly.

"And what is the meaning of life? Is it merely the continuing beating of a heart, the thoughts and instincts of the brain? Or is it more? Is it the memory of those we leave on those we have meet." Said Vasto as he subtly pointed to his hands bonded. Anna began to stealthily remove the cuffs. "So long as Victor lives in your heart, so long as you tell stories of Jun, are they really dead? No. The only thing worse then death is to be not remembered."

"I and Anna are innocent in the way that a disease is innocent. Jun and Victor merely stood in the path of our own stories. And if we die here, you will remember us. But if we live on, and die in ignominy, then Victor and Jun's tale may have a good ending." Said Vasto. He reach out his arms and pointed at Vincent.  
"Don't you respect your Brother's life tale? Or do you just want a chance to repeat the cycle."

Vincent stared at Vasto for several seconds, utterly confused by whatever Vasto was saying.  
Then he noticed something.

"You're not Hand cuffed?" Asked Vincent.

Vasto stared at his own hands for a few seconds.

"Well shit." Said Vasto.

Vasto and Anna both began to run to the one bandit that had both of their swords. The two of them swiftly tackled him to the ground, Grabbed their swords and ran as fast as they could.

"KILL THEM!" Shouted Vincent.

"So... That went well." Said Vasto as the two of them ran from the Marketplace chased by some thirty bandits.

"Oh yeah. Remind me to hire you as a lawyer some day." Anna replied.

Vasto grinned, then returned to running for his life.

* * *

Vasto and Anna ducked into the Side alley the moment they were out of sight of the angry mob of Bandits out for their blood.

"Well that was fun." Said Vasto quietly.

"You have a weird sense of fun." Anna replied.

"Blame life in the Army." Said Vasto.

"Got a plan?" Asked Anna.

"Sure. Run like heck and get the military." Said Vasto.

"We can't leave them here. They'll burn the village to the ground if we don't stop them." Said Anna.

"The odds aren't exactly in our favour." said Vasto.

"I heard that Commander Vasto once took on four Wyverns single handedly in order to save the Prince of Plegia?" Said Anna.

"That story ignores that I myself was riding a Wyvern a time and had the supporting fire of a entire Squad of Archers." Replied Vasto. "Neither of which we have here."

The two of them walked out the other side of the side alley, the mob still shouting in the distance.

"So in order to stop them you'd need some one like... The Shepherds?" Asked Anna.

"Hah! Sure, why the fuck not. Let's get the..." Said Vasto as he turned to face where Anna was looking. "Oh shit."

Sure enough, in front of the two of them stood the gallant and heroic forms of ten of the Shepherd's.  
At the Front was that pair that Vasto feared, the Pegasis rider and the blue prince.

"Chrom!" shouted Anna as she ran towards them.

Vasto tried to walk very slowly away.

"Anna? Fancy meeting you again." Said Chrom. The Shepherd's were beginning to talk to Anna, not noticing the creeping form of Vasto.

He was about to turn around when a arrow pierced his shoulder.

"Ah shit!" He involuntarily shouted out. He clutched his shoulder and got on one knee.

Chrom turned to face the oddly familiar voice, and saw the thirty strong bandit army.

"Chrom!" shouted Vincent.

"...Uhh." Said Chrom. "Victor something?"

Vincent snarled.

Vasto looked between the two armies. On the one side, the vicious criminals out for his blood. On the other, the heroic Ylisseans that are also probably out for his blood.

"Ahhh shit." He whispered to himself.

"CHARGE!" Shouted Vincent.

_Shit_

"Shepards! To arms!" shouted Chrom. "Anna, care to join us?"

"Sure, this is a golden opportunity." Said Anna as she drew her sword.

Vasto looked again between the two armies. One was desperately running towards him, the other ready to bunker down and fight. Vasto got onto his feet, and pointed his sword at the approaching army, before placing both of his hands on the sword.

His shoulder twitch as if to remind him he still had a bloody arrow sticking out of it.

"Show me a good time!" He shouted to the rapidly approaching horde of bandits.

The first of the bandits had reached Vasto.  
He swung his sword into his Chest, it didn't cut too deep, but the force behind the blow winded the bandit and sent him to the floor.

Another Bandit was within his reach, so he charged at him and slashed his sword into the bandit's face. The slashed caused a terrible wound across the bandit's right eye, and he too fell to the floor.

Upon contact with the bandit, Vasto's shoulder screamed out in pain.

He fell onto his knees as another bandit approached him.  
The bandit had a wicked smile on his face, bloody axe in his hand.  
"Time for you to die Commander." The bandit said quietly.  
Vasto held up his uninjured hand.

_Well this is it. I'm going to die here, and it was another bloody arrow that caused it. Well shit. _

"Do it!" Vasto shouted.  
The Bandit was just beginning to bring down his axe onto Vasto's face when a Arrow pierced his skull.  
For a few seconds, the bandit stumbled around. He then dropped his axe, his face fell, and the bandit's lifeless body collapsed onto the floor.

Vasto looked in shock for a few seconds, staring at the fallen body of the bandit, before a light hand grasped his shoulder and tried to pull him onto his feet. Vasto responded, and stumbled onto his feet.  
Vasto turned around, and faced the same girl that had healed him last time. He clutched his shoulder that still had the Arrow sticking out of it.

"The Bandit's are retreating!" Shouted A voice, Vasto presumed it was Chrom's.

"You know, we have to stop meeting like this. People will talk." Said Vasto quietly to the girl.  
She gave a disgusted look on her face, but that didn't stop her from placing both of her hands on the arrow sticking out of his shoulder and giving it a good tug.  
"AHHHH!" He screamed.

"Want to say that again Peasent?" Asked the snooty voice of the blond haired girl in front of him.  
Vasto breathed for a few second, blood beginning to pour out of his shoulder.

"That's what I thought." She said. She placed the staff she was carrying in her hand against his chest, and a white/green light shone out of it. Soon, the wound of his shoulder and several small cuts on his hand began to stitch themselves together.

"Ahhhh. You sure know how to make a man feel better." Vasto said.  
The girl looked absolutely appalled at what Vasto was implying.

"You know, I can put this back in your shoulder?" She said, holding the arrow up in her hands.  
Vasto just shrugged.  
He looked around the girl, and noticing that Chrom was walking towards him, the grey haired Pegasis rider and Anna following shortly behind.  
Vasto smiled a brief smile of appreciation at the healer, then walked around her and faced Chrom.

"I thought I said I never wanted to see you again." Said Chrom.

Vasto, as much as he wanted to agree, just shrugged.  
"If you want, I can run away from here and leave all these villagers to die. But that's not usually my style." Vasto replied.

Chrom turned to Anna, his eyebrow raised. Anna just nodded at him.  
Chrom turned back to Vasto.

"So... Your old boss here says that you're Shepherd material." Said Chrom.

Vasto's eyes widened.

"It's the duty of the Shepherd's to get all those with the skill and conviction to fight against tyranny and those that would threaten the weak. Would you say that you do these things?" Asked Chrom.

Vasto scratched the back of his head. He didn't want innocents on either side of this war to suffer, but...  
Did he want to work for the enemy of his people, even if he was in exile?

_Gangrel has my Family.  
Gangrel has my Family._

The words of Mustafa's letter rang through Vasto's head. Gangrel wasn't acting in the best interests of any true Plegian.

In order to help Plegia. Vasto would have to fight it.

"Yes. As much as I regret working with the killers of my friends, I need to stop Gangrel." Said Vasto.

Chrom looked a little surprised.

"Welcome to the..." Chrom began.

"Not yet. I need to let you know that there are certain people I am going to want to spare. If you wan time and my knowledge on the Plegian army, you will have to spare the people I tell you to spare." Said Vasto.

"We aren't going to kill your family." Said Chrom.

"I'm talking about my friends. I need your word." Said Vasto.

"Even if they are trying to kill us?" Asked Chrom.

"You spared me. So how hard can it be?" Vasto replied.

Chrom thought on this for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Very well. Let's deal with these bandits first, then we can get to work sorting out Plegia." Said Chrom.

Vasto nodded. He would offer his sword oath once this battle was over.

"Robin, ideas?" asked Chrom.

The man in the purple coat..._ Proscepto's killer!.. No... If I focus on those things I can't help Plegia. _

The man in the purple coat turned to Chrom and began to speak:  
"The majority of the twenty three bandits left have gone into the marketplace where they can set up a defensive perimeter. Frederick, charge through their defences and try and make a opening." The purple coated man, or Robin, said.  
A well dressed knight on a horse nodded.  
"Chrom, Sumia, once that hole has opened up, lead us through it. Everyone, once the defences are down, charge on through, stop any of them from escaping." He said again.

Vasto looked around and saw everyone nodding.  
"Right. New people. Hmm... Anna, your with Gaius." Said Robin.

Anna nodded and, once Robin pointed out who Gaius was, she stood next to the ginger haired thief.  
The two of them nodded at each other and waited for Robin to finish his orders.

"Right, And you Vasto you can go with... Well, you've meet Maribelle before right?" Asked Robin.  
The blond haired healer that had healed Vasto twice in his life looked absolutely fuming.

"Robin! I can understand you not wishing to place me with anyone before in order to keep me away from the battlefield and make sure I can heal people, but now you finally do pair me up with someone it's some lowborn Plegian!" She shouted.

_Right. Maribelle. Must remember that name._

"Look "Princess", I don't care who I get partnered up with, but the sooner we kill these bastards the sooner we can go. That's easy to understand right?" Asked Vasto.  
Maribelle turned to him equally as angry.

"Well Vasto, if she doesn't kill you, feel free to apply for another partner next time." Said Robin with a grin.  
_You might be a friend murderer, but you seem pretty decent.  
_Vasto smiled and nodded at Robin.

"Hmmpf!" She said as she turned away from the two of them.  
Robin signelled for Frederick to charge on ahead, and soon the well dressed knight was speeding towards the centre of the village.

"Come on Mari, you don't want to miss the fun part do you?" Asked Vasto.

Maribelle looked again at Vasto, wondering if there was some magic form of undoing healing, before remembering,grudgingly that he was a Shepherd now, rather then some cocky Plegian Commander.

"You will regret speaking like that Plegian." She said as menacingly as she could as she got back onto her horse.

Vasto smiled.

"Looking forward to it Mari." Said Vasto.

Before either of them could annoy the other further, Robin signalled for the charge.  
Vasto ran, barely keeping up with the galloping of Maribelle's horse.  
"We're suppose to be a team Maribelle!" He shouted as he started to fall behind her.

Marribelle pointedly ignored the Plegian as she rode on ahead.

* * *

Vasto turned into the market place.  
The well dressed knight, Vasto realised, was the Legendary Frederick of the Shepherds, the most bad ass murderer of men this side of the Plegian/Ylissean border.

This was the man that at the moment had speared someone with a blunt lance.

Vasto towards the nearest bandit. It seemed that the healer girl had ran off, despite the fact she couldn't probably kill anyone.  
Not his problem right now.

The bandit made the first move, swinging his axe into Vasto's right side.  
Vasto both parried the blow and stepped to his left, dodging the swing.

The Plegian goaded the bandit into charging Vasto. Once the bandit got into sword reach, Vasto crouched down and stabbed the Bandit right in the kidneys, before slashing his sort through his right side. The bandit collapsed onto the floor.

Vasto looked around.

Chrom was fighting off a bandit in front of him. The two were parrying each other's blows easily. It seemed that the bandit was refusing to make a strike against Chrom.  
For a few seconds, Chrom wondered why.  
A slight sharp touch hit Chrom in the back. The bandit in front of him paled and looked scared.  
Chrom turned around to see a bandit with his axe raised ready to strike.  
And a black and steel sword sticking out of his chest.  
The sword was brought out of the bandit and Chrom saw the tall Vasto nodding at him.  
Chrom quickly turned around and punched the bandit in the face, before slashing downwards with his sword and removing the bandit's arm.

"If you make a "armless" pun..." said Vasto.  
Chrom looked annoyed.

"I'm a professional." he replied.  
Vasto shrugged.

"Got to have a little fun." Vasto said.

"Where's Maribelle?" Asked Chrom.

"She rode off. Where's that pegasis knight that seems surgically attached to you?" asked Vasto.

Chrom merely pointed upwards. Vasto looked up to see a pegasis knight, with a squirming bandit in her hand. After a few seconds, her grip loosened and the bandit fell through the air and landed with a terrible crunch.

"...Right. Ariel unit." Said Vasto to himself.

A hoity scream was heard, and Vasto excused himself, nodding to Chrom as he ran off in the direction of that scream.

A few seconds later, and Maribelle was surrounded by three bandits.  
It was times like this she wished her best weapon wasn't a parasol.  
"Stand back ruffians, I promise you this would hurt." She said as confidently as she could.

For a few seconds, no one said anything. Then one of the bandits laughed, and began to swing his axe.  
He never got the chance, as a blur of steel and red charged through the air, the sound of metal against bone and flesh could be heard as the bandit dropped to the floor, a nasty gash across his back.  
Vasto got onto his feet and placed his sword against his shoulder, blood on his armor, a smile on his face.

"Come and have a go... If you think you're hard enough." He said cockily.

The two bandits looked towards the collapsed and wheezing body of their friend, then readied themselves.

"I love this part." He said to himself.

The two bandits charged him at the same time, one on the right, one on the left.  
Vasto merely swung his sword all the way around his body as they reached his sword's reach.  
Both bandits, with cuts across their stomachs, fell forwards.  
Vasto smiled, until he noticed that one of them had fallen just so that his axe would hit into Vasto's right leg.

"Oh shit." He said, seconds before the pain reached his brain and he fell onto that knee.

"You should really be more careful." Said Maribelle as she reached down from her horse and pointed her staff at his knee. "Remove the axe from your leg."

"You're one to talk." Vasto muttered, then he nodded. He stretch himself and clenched his teeth, then dragged the axe out of his knee. The pain and the noise were terrible, but before Vasto could scream again Maribelle was already healing the wound on his knee.

Vasto glanced at his good as new knee before getting back onto both feet.

"Ready to actually help me again?" Asked Vasto.

"Get on." She said.

"I usually take a girl out to dinner first." Said Vasto with a smug grin.

She growled, and Vasto decided not to risk it and climbed onto her horse.

It was different from a wyvern. Thinner, less spiky.

"Let's deal with the head honcho." Said Vasto as he held onto the saddle, thinking that placing his arms around the noble girl would probably be a good way to get his hands removed.

Maribelle nodded and gave the horse a light kick, which sent the horse galloping back towards the main fight.

* * *

The fight was almost over, only two bandits and Vincent remained conscious or alive.

Chrom and the pegasis knight, along with Anna and the ginger thief, stood forward, weapons drawn.

"Surrender Bandit. It's over." Said Chrom.

"You bastard's killed my brother!" Shouted Vincent. "Have at thee!"

The Barbarian Vincent charged forward, ready to swing his axe into the murderer of his brother and best friend.  
Alas, Anna decided to simply dodge the blow they cut Vincent right in the spine.  
Vincent stumbled a few further steps, then fell too the floor.

"I...I see your face Victor... No, wait, that's mine. Sorry." Said Vincent. He let go of his axe, then, slowly, his breathing stopped and he closed his eyes.

The Shepherd's turned to the two remaining bandits.

"Hey, I was only in this for the gold, I'm out of here!" Shouted one of them, and he began to run away.  
He didn't get far before a single arrow slammed into the back of his skull, killing him instantly.

The other bandit, looking at the dead body of his friend and looking at the blue/grey haired archer that killed him, decided that the simpler option would be to surrender.  
He threw his spear to the floor and held his hands in the air.

"Okay, you can go." Said Chrom.  
The bandit looked at the thirty odd dead of his old friends, shrugged, and walked away, hands in his pockets.

"Well that went well." Said Chrom as he clapped his hands together.  
He turned to the two new members of the Shepherd's.  
"You two preformed admirably." Said Chrom. "Never thought I'd work with a Plegian Commander, but war makes strange bedfellows."

"Just until this war is over and Plegia is returned to sanity." Said Vasto coldly.

"Now, about wages." Said Anna.

Chrom paled as the red headed merchant began to rattle down a long list of clauses and stipulations. The two began to walk away from Vasto.

For a few seconds, Vasto stood in that marketplace. The people were beginning to go outside to inspect the damage. It seemed that the Shepherd's weren't in the mode for waiting for them to thank them correctly.  
Vasto unsheathed his sword and looked at the engravings Proscepto had inscribed.  
_Sic Semper Timidis_

_Give unto Cowards_

Was Vasto a coward for joining the enemy that had killed his friends.  
No, it had to be done. The cycle had to end.

Vasto continued to look around when a familiar voice called out to him.

"You coming Plegian?" Asked the healer girl. Maribelle.

"It's Vasto Mari." Said Vasto as he began to follow the rest of the Shepherd's.  
She made a point of not talking to him for the rest of that day.

* * *

Vasto had realised that the Shepherd's had tents to spare, which was lucky. He considered going around the camp site and getting to know the people he'd be fighting with better, but first he had to do something.

_Dear Mustafa_

_I am a Prince from Valm. My country has been taken over, and my Vast fortune is still there._  
_The only way I can move it is if I use a Plegian account to shift the money to Plegia._  
_If you can tell me your bank details, I can offer you 10% of my not inconsiderable treasure._

_Please reply with your name, bank details, Mothers maiden name and **favourite lemon based food.**_

_Yours  
The prince of Rossanne_

Then Vasto got out a lemon he had brought the day before, and squeezed out some lemon juice, before writing again.

_Sorry about the spam, but I have to get it past censors.  
It's Vasto  
I got your message, but as you know I am in Exile.  
This war must end Mustafa. For mine, yours and your family's sake.  
I will do all I can.  
I can't receive any letters from now on. I'm sorry it came to this. Stay strong friend._

Vasto waited for the lemon juice to dry, and later he would seal and send the letter.

But until that time, he had a free moment or two.  
Vasto got out of the tent and began to stretch his legs.  
Vasto was getting a few weird looks, and he realised he was in his still damaged Plegian uniform.  
Chrom had announced they would be heading back to the Shepherd's garrison until they could plan the next more in this war, so he could get new armor then.  
Maybe he'd get hybrid wyvern rider/myrmidon armor.

Vasto walked towards one of the Shepherd's, a black haired swordsman who was practising on his own.  
Vasto remembered him as the highly dangerous myrmidon who he had been forced to retreat from via Yamakaze. Vasto could do with some swordsman tips from this guy.  
Vasto sat down near where he was training. He was deciding what to open with when the swordsman spoke first.

"You attempting to gather intelligence on your enemies or just staring?" Asked the swordsman.  
_Holy shit this guy has a deep voice.  
_

"Wouldn't be great intelligence If I don't even know your name swordsman." Said Vasto.

The swordsman continued to practise his swings, his face the mask of neutrality.

"I am Lon'qu. And you are Vasto, correct?" Asked the swordsman.

Vasto nodded.

"I see that in absence of your blasted wyvern you have attempted to learn the honourable skill of the blade?" asked Lon'qu.

Vasto twitched at the mention of his dead Wyvern.

"Perhaps. I was a myrmidon for four years before I became a Wyvern rider." Said Vasto.

"I suppose you are talking to me right now because you wish to ask me to train you?" Asked Lon'qu.

_Blunt and to the point. Could be worse._

"I wouldn't mind a little tutor..." said Vasto.  
As soon as Vasto had said this, Lon'qu swing his swords towards Vasto.  
Vasto, instinctly, Unsheathed his sword and parried the blow, seconds before he realised what he did,

"What the fuck was that about!" Shouted Vasto.

"You can be trained. Tomorrow, when we set up camp again, I will train you. In the meantime, stay out of my way." said Lon'qu, who shortly returned to his practise swings.

Vasto, both shocked and glad, decided to leave the dangerous man with the sword alone. He sheathed his own sword and began to walk away.

Before long, he bumped into a familiar face.

"So... Guess I'm not your boss any more?" Asked Anna as Vasto had almost absent mindedly walked into her.

"Guess not." Said Vasto.

"Well, how are you settling in with the Shepherds?" She asked.

"One of them just tried to kill me and the rest might be ignoring me. You?" Asked Vasto.

"Oh... Ummm, the thief I was with, Gaius, was showing me around. But I got the general idea, so we went our separate ways. Something about sugar to steal or something?" Replied Anna.

"Heh. I kind of pissed off my partner. She's making a point of ignoring me I think." Said Vasto. "Do you know what the point of this partner system is anyway? In the army, we set up people in squads with similar abilities. Made things easy to coordinate."

"I know what you mean. I think there is some ulterior motive behind setting us up in pairs." Said Anna.

Vasto looked philosophical for a few seconds, then shrugged.

"I'm sure it's just the best way to order a few mercenaries around with clashing personalities." Said Vasto.

Anna shrugged too.

"You going to dinner?" She asked.

"You mean ready to make conversation with all these people?" Asked Vasto.

She nodded.

"Well, we'll treat this like a mission. Work together, take them from the side." Said Vasto.

She laughed and nodded.

"Ready?" She asked.

Vasto stretched a little.

"As I'll ever be." He replied.

* * *

_**And here we are. Vasto is now a part of the Shepherd's. I know this isn't how Anna's recruitment even remotely goes in game, but I wanted to have the two of them join before chapter 8, so this was my way of solving that.  
Just in case it's not clear, the Shepherd's are dealing with random crap before chapter eight and the Exalt's kidnapping happens.**_

_**So we've got that to look forward to, but I think that next chapter will be just Vasto meeting the rest of the Shepherd's.**_

_**Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a review!**_


	6. Chapter 6: Know thy enemy

_**Master & Commander  
Chapter 6: Know thy enemy  
**_

_**.**_

Vasto joined the others around the fire as bowls of stew were passed around.  
Vasto sat next to the only person he really knew, Anna, who was next to the ginger thief.

"Hello. What's dinner?" Vasto asked as he sat down.

"Bear stew." Anna replied.

"Great!" Said Vasto.

"You already like bear stew?" Asked a voice next to Vasto.

Vasto turned around and stared in horror and the heavily armored knight sat next to him.

"You didn't see me did you?" Asked the knight, a mildly sad expression on his face.

"Sur... Sure I did. Just, Anna is the only person I really know here, thought I'd sit next to her." Said Vasto. "I'm Commander... Actually, suppose it's just Vasto now." He held out his hand.  
Vasto internally sighed in relief as the armored knight returned the handshake.

"Kellam." He said curtly.

"Hello Kellam. How long have you been a Shepherd?" Vasto asked.

"Oh, I've been on quite a few missions with the Shepherds. But sometimes I wonder if people remember that. They always look like they've never seen me before." Replied Kellam.

Vasto tried to hold in a giggle.

"I get that feeling, I doubt anyone remembers me from..." said Vasto.

A cheery blond haired girl sat between Kellam and Vasto, interrupting their conversation.

"Hello! Wait, you're that guy that tried to kidnap my sister!" She shouted, her mood instantly souring. Kellam sighed as he turned away, knowing that it was unlikely Vasto would remember having that conversation later.

"Eghhh... To be fair, I killed the man that sold her and Chrom out." Said Vasto. "In case you didn't get my name back there, I'm Vasto."

"I know who you are." Said the blond haired girl with a hateful expression on her face. In the distance, Vasto could swear he heard another sigh, but he couldn't see anyone sighing.

"Well, we haven't introduced... Though since you called the Exalt your sister I assume that you must be Lissa?" Vasto Asked.

As much as she didn't want to, Lissa nodded.

"Look... I'm sorry for what me and my men tried to do. If it makes up for it, you guys killed a good few of my friends and left several great women I know widows." Said Vasto.

Lissa stared at Vasto for a few seconds, then her hateful expression quickly turned to one of pity, and she quickly threw him a hug.  
Vasto looked utterly confused at these sudden turn of events and simply decided that if someone in this army is a blonde healer they must be crazy in some manner.

"Umm... Don't worry, If it's any consolation I absolutely intended to kill you guys and basically imprison your sister." Said Vasto.

Lissa stopped hugging him and just stared at Vasto, utterly confused at his attempts to improve her mood.  
Vasto just shrugged.

Anna passed him his bear stew and Vasto just tried to focus 100 percent on eating.

Vasto decided that having a blonde girl stare at him all night, whilst fun on leave, wouldn't be a great idea here, so he got up and decided to risk it and try and strike up conversation with complete strangers.

He decided to stay away from where Chrom, the grey haired pegasis rider (_really aught to learn her name_), Robin and Frederick were, and kept looking around.

He saw a small group of people, a shirtless warrior, a messy haired knight, Blonde healer girl no.2 (_Mirii...no Maribelle_), glasses wearing female mage and a short kid.

"So Vaike said to the bandit "Not this day, for it's time for you to learn your lesson!" Then Teach slammed his axe into the bandit's skull. Man, I was cleaning blood and brain out of that thing for hours!" Shouted the Shirtless warrior.  
Vasto sat down on the log near them, noticing the rapidly increasing green colour on the kid's face.

"Are you the kind of man that thinks about what to say before killing someone?" Asked Vasto.

All five people turned to look at them, each one having a different look of surprise or dislike, in the case of healer girl.

"Sorry, I should introduce myself. I'm Vasto." Said the Plegian.

"Ahh yes. You were the Foreigner who was fighting before our main forces could join the battle weren't you?" Asked the girl with the glasses. "I'm Miriel, Mage and Scholar extraordinare.

"Nice to meet you Miriel. And what are the rest of your names?" Vasto asked.

They seemed to relax at Vasto's polite manner.

The shirtless warrior pointed to himself.  
"Names Vaike. But you can go ahead and call me Teach." He said proudly.

"I'm Stahl. Is that accent Plegian by any chance?" Asked the messy haired knight.

"I'm Ricken." Said the short kid.

Vasto raised a single surprised eyebrow at the kid.

"You don't think I'm old enough to fight!" Said the kid.

"No. I was fighting when I was your age. Disembowelled my first Yllisean when I was 14. I just hoped no one else would have to that's all." Vasto replied.

The kid, once again, looked a little sick.  
_Clearly a mage or healer then. Not truly used to the front lines._

The blonde healer... Maribelle just stared at Vasto.

"See something you like Mari?" Asked Vasto, safe in the knowledge he wasn't on the battlefield and pretty sure that she would never voluntarily heal him again anyway.

Maribelle looked at Vasto even more harshly.

"No. I was wondering which woodland creature you killed and stuck to your chin?" Asked Maribelle sarcastically.

Vasto grinned and stroked his chin.

"Would you believe that I shaved earlier this morning?" asked Vasto, already knowing the rough answer.

"So you're purposefully keeping that poor defenceless animal imprisoned on your face?" Asked Maribelle.

"Yep. I just hate woodland creatures. Didn't get a single one in Plegia." Vasto replied.

Maribelle continued to stare at Vasto, whilst the others looked between the two of them.

"So, see you've meet little miss snooty already eh?" Said Vaike.

"Yes, the two of us have meet." Said Vasto.

Vasto winked at Maribelle, which seemed to annoy her even more, before turning towards Vaike.

"So... I suppose you're the guy that Proscepto almost killed." Said Vasto, his face instantly turning mournful.

"Proscepto?" asked Vaike, a little confused at the sudden change in the new guy.

Vasto's hand absent mindedly fell onto the sword at his hip.

"It doesn't matter... Just remembering people I've lost. So! What made you guys join the Shepherds?" Asked Vasto, his expression returning to it's natural smirk.

Vaike shrugged, then responded to Vasto's question.

"Me? I've been a buddy of old Chrom since we were little kids. Knew that I have to best him, so figured I'd follow him in battle." Said Vaike.

Vasto smiled, reminded of his and Mustafa's challenges to each other during battle.

"I was brought into the Shepherds by Frederick. He thought I must've been good enough to join." Said Stahl.

Vasto nodded politely.

"After Graduating from my Apprenticeship under the court mage, I signed on because I believe I could gain more practical insight into magical theory from observation and practise." Said Miriel.

Vasto nodded at her, as if in congratulations of her education.  
Or at least, she presumed it was that.

"I rescued Maribelle." Said Ricken simply. "And I wanted to stop the Plegians."

"A noble goal, to prevent the harm of your people." Said Vasto.  
He then turned to Maribelle, awaiting her belittlement or denial of Ricken's statement.

"...I could've gotten myself out, but I believed that I should attempt to gather information on those that would kidnap a Yllisean noble such as myself." Said Maribelle, shooting Ricken an apologetic yet somehow annoyed look.

"Wait... Your the lady that started this entire war!?" Asked Vasto shocked and appalled.

Maribelle was about to break into a rant when Vasto let out a laugh.

"Heh. Had you going for a second there. No, don't worry, we all know the war would happen for any reason." Said Vasto.

Before Maribelle could shout at Vasto about him being a prick, probably not in those words, Ricken asked Vasto a question:

"Why did you join the Shepherds?" He asked.

Vasto turned to the young Shepherd, and smiled a weak smile.

"Right. In case you guys didn't know, I was a Plegian Commander, in fact, I was the Plegian commander that failed to take the Exalt." Said Vasto, briefly looking to where Chrom and the others sat.  
"After that battle, I couldn't... I still can't return home again for political reasons. I had to face something. Is a country that would send a army to their death, banish those that would show mercy, who would threaten a General with his family's execution if he dares to not fight, is that a country I want to fight for?"

Vasto took a sigh then continued.

"My country once stood for things. We fought for the right to worship who we wanted to worship, to live how we wished to live. To be Plegians. Now? We fight to inflict suffering upon others. To punish the sons for the sins of the father." Said Vasto. "My men...My friends died so that my once king could commit genocide. So that our country could destroy another."

"Ylisse is a peaceful nation. Your right not to..." Said Stahl.

Vasto turned to the messy haired knight.

"Don't. Ylisse tried to wipe out my own people 15 years ago. They burnt my village, killed my father... Forced us to fight like animals to survive. Ylisse are no better overall then Plegia. Just this time they aren't the aggressors." Said Vasto.

The others looked at Vasto, not quite sure what to say.

"Sorry. I shouldn't rant, it makes me sound like a more of a arsehole then I actually am." Said Vasto with a sad smile. He perked up and flashed a cheesy grin.

"So, Vaike, you were saying about what you said before killing that bandit?" Asked Vasto.

"Right! So teach was saying "Not this day, for it's time for you to learn your lesson!" Shouted Vaike, complete with exaggerated arm movements and other such nonsense.

Vasto laughed, but noticed the others didn't.

"You guys have no appreciation for pre mortem one liners?" asked Vasto.

"Oh... um... We sort of all do them, but Vaike's aren't very good." Said Stahl.

"Hey! Teach resents that!" shouted Vaike.

Vasto smirked.

"So, what are your own favourite lines you've said before doing something cool?" Asked Vasto.

"Well, I was always fond of "I love this part!" actually." Said Stahl.

"Short, simple, rolls off the tongue. Not bad." Said Vasto. He turned to Miriel.

"I have discovered that my favourite thing to shout out in the heat of battle is a simple "Rebarbative fool!". It is a guilty pleasure I admit." Said Miriel.

Vasto stared at her, his smirk shrinking and his brow expressing his obvious confusion.

"...Now, I know that I'm not the smartest person on the planet..." Said Vasto, as Maribelle snorted in agreement. "But I'm not sure even you know what rebarbative actually means."

"I resent that accusation!" Said Miriel.

Vasto gained back his smirk.

"You're not denying it." He said.

Vasto quickly turned to Ricken.

"What are you looking at me for, I think you're all psychopaths." Said Ricken.

Vasto thought on this for a few seconds, then shrugged.

Vasto turned to Maribelle.

"Now, I'm pretty sure most healers don't kill people, but you seem plenty angry enough to smack someone with that staff or run them over on that horse. You got a favourite one liner?" Asked Vasto.

"I'll kill you if you don't stop grinning like a moron." said Maribelle.

"It's called Smirking, it's something people with large egos do." Replied Vasto.

"Oh, you're a self aware egotistical moron?" Asked Maribelle.

"A wise man knows the limits of his wisdom Princess." Said Vasto.

"It would not be hard for you to find the limits of your own wisdom." Said Maribelle.

Vasto was about to say something when Vaike spoke up.

"Look Maribelle, leave the poor bugger alone and answer the question." Said Vaike.

Vasto's face flashed with annoyance that Maribelle got the last word, but he was back to his smirking self as Maribelle answered his question.

"Fine. Well, I suppose "I promise you, this will hurt" is pretty good." Replied Maribelle.

Vasto rubbed the back of his neck.  
"It's not...Terrible. Just... The last time I heard you say that I kind of had to kill all three of those bandits for you." Said Vasto.

Maribelle glared at him.

"Remind me that you can totally heal yourself next time there's a sword sticking out of your chest." Said Maribelle.

"I honestly surprised that you haven't tried to reverse your healing already, I thought not getting healed was a given." Said Vasto. "Anyway, yes I have my own bunch of one liners I like. I suppose it's a tie between "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!" and "Show me a good time!" If I'm feeling cocky and "I won't let fear compromise who I am!" If I'm feeling melodramatic."

"Trust you to have two that could easily be misconstrued." Said Maribelle.

Vasto thought about it for a few seconds, then smiled and nodded at her.

"What are you talking about?" Asked Ricken. Stahl whispered something into his ear.

"Oh." He said as a blush appeared on his cheeks.

"That's nothing, I heard a mage talk about blowing peoples minds. Of course, in the heat of battle that can sound completely different." Said Vasto.

Maribelle rolled her eyes, Miriel looked a little confused, Vaike look a little weirded out and Stahl laughed. Ricken, on the other hand, was still blushing.

A little while after that, after a conversation on magic vs weapons, with Ricken, Maribelle and Miriel on one side and Vasto, Vaike and Stahl on the other.

Ultimately, it was agreed that Frederick beats everything anyway, and that was about it, as the groups splintered in swords vs axes vs lances on one side and Healing vs destruction on the other.

And then it turned into gang up on archers, who for some reason everyone there disliked.

Must be the accent.

.

* * *

.

Vasto looked up at the sky. They had left the snowy Ferox behind and were apparently heading towards the Shepherd compound at Ylissitol whilst the Exalt stayed at a safe house in the north.  
Vasto had already decided against apologising to the exalt, seeing as he hadn't meet her yesterday and he wasn't even sure she knew that the Shepherds had even hired him.

It seemed that everyone had a pack horse ready, even both Anna and Vasto, who had left the smoking ruins of her caravan behind, which made Vasto question just why they had two spare horses for people they didn't know they were hiring, but decided on magic.

"Does the sun confuse you Plegian?" Asked Maribelle.

Vasto smirked. It seemed that the noble lady had been trading barbs with him since he got hired. She was no Halio, but as far as verbal sparring opponents go he could do worse. Vaike was too... Third person, Stahl was too nice, Miriel usually just used big words that meant little and Ricken just made Vasto feel bad about it. Maribelle might hate Vasto, he couldn't tell, but she was quick witted enough to be entertaining.

"Pelgia. Desert. Remember? And no, I was wondering what time it was. I'd hate to miss the daily kitten sacrifice." Said Vasto casually.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Stahl's eyes widen and he slowly trot away from Vasto.

"I was also wondering why Robin hadn't already given everyone a partner if you've been in the army since the start of this war. I mean, why were you and Gauis free?" Asked Vasto.

Maribelle rubbed the back of her head.

"Me and Gaius aren't on great terms. He... It's of no import to a commoner like you." Said Maribelle.

Vasto ignored that.

"But others have arrived. I saw some bunny lady with no trousers and that Pegasis rider who stabbed me in the shoulder joined during... a while back. Why am I the one paired up with you?" Asked Vasto.

"If you don't want to be paired up with me, Robin would be happy to oblige." Said Maribelle with a huff. It didn't sound like a "I'm going to pretend to be angry but that was actually funny." or a "I can't think of a come back for that, so shut up." huff, but more of actual annoyance, maybe even sadness.

"And be forced to trade barbs with someone difficult to offend? No, I'm just questioning this whole pairing up thing more and more." Said Vasto. "Might have to ask Robin why though. One Commander of Men to another."

"You don't want to swap with someone?" Asked Maribelle.

"I thought that you had had enough of me." Said Vasto.

"Oh, don't worry, I've no intention of saving you in battle." Said Maribelle.

Vasto turned to face her, his expression troubled.

"No one survives on the battlefield on their own. Not even me." Said Vasto.

"...I didn't mean it." Said Maribelle.

Vasto smirked.  
"Did I guilt trip a noble? Man, give me a few more years and maybe you can start calling me exalt if I keep this up." Said Vasto.

"Shut up you idiot." Said Maribelle.

"But seriously, I need a healer to watch my back, and that Lissa girl is... Confusing. So for the moment, we aught to pretend to be friends." Said Vasto. "Besides, don't tell anyone, but Anna's a pretty terrible healer"

"... That's good to hear. Didn't want to be out of a job." Said Maribelle.

"Do noble ladies even have jobs other then standing around waiting to be married off to their second cousins?" Asked Vasto.

"I don't have any, but I'm sure I could ask your parents about marrying cousins." Said Maribelle.

Vasto laughed.

"Ah. You wound me. I'm sure my dad is just spinning in his grave being insulted by a noble lady like yourself." Said Vasto with a smirk.

"So... We pretend to be friends?" Asked Maribelle.

"Just until this war is over. Then you can go back to hating that Plegian commoner however much you like." Said Vasto.

"And I suppose you'll just go back to hating Ylissean's too..." Said Maribelle.

"... No. The cycle must end." said Vasto determined. "Besides, I have bigger things to hate then a noble lady with poor temper."

Maribelle huffed.

"Now, since I'm sure you're trying to come up with a come back for that, and I have no intention of allowing that, I'm going to talk to Robin now, hopefully the others there wont kill me. Wish me luck." Said Vasto. He nodded at Maribelle then began to increase his pace to reach Robin and the others at the front of the army, where Robin, Chrom, Frederick and Lissa rode.

"Robin, sorry to interrupt, but might I have a word?" Asked Vasto.

The purple cloaked man turned to Vasto, surprise and curiosity written on his face. The two of them hadn't talked much at all, and Robin was a little interested in the Plegian Commander that had joined their cause.

"You know, one Commander of Men to another?" Asked Vasto.

"I'm afraid that Chrom is the Shepherd Commander." Said Robin neutrally.

"But you are the Tactician, and in Plegian it was the role of the commanding officer to devise strategies as much as possible" Replied Vasto.

Chrom and Robin shared a look, and Frederick and Lissa looked on disapprovingly. _(Can't say I blame them.)_

"Sure. One Commander to another." Said Robin.

Vasto politely nodded.

The two of them rode off a little to the side, staying on the path with everyone else, but separate.

"What is it you wished to discuss?" Asked Robin.

"I am attempting to see the reasoning behind your system of pairing up soldiers with another." Said Vasto.

Robin sighed.

"Did Maribelle go on about how common you are?" Asked Robin.

"What? Well yes I suppose but that's the least of my worries. I can handle nobles." Said Vasto.

"Really?" Asked Robin a little surprised.

"No, I'm trying to work out the idea in a tactical sense. In Plegia it was more common to have five or so men of similar battlefield disciplines in squads. A single NCO would dictate orders towards the squad, and the squad would fight. Then a commanding officer like myself would give general orders to all the squads. You seem to be mixing disciplines and personalities. I can't help but notice most every pairing is boy/girl and they seem like the people to have arguments." Said Vasto.

"Well, I do try and keep pairs together with other pairs if they can support each other well, and previously I've kept both healers away from the fighting. But then Chrom asked Lon'qu to guard Lissa, and I saw a golden opportunity." Said Robin.

"I see... A golden opportunity for what?" Asked Vasto.

"Uhhh..." Said Robin. "To... Increase unit cohesion."

"Increase unit cohesion?" Asked Vasto. "Is that why..."

"Your going to ask about Maribelle aren't you?" Asked Robin.

"I have to admit, I thought I would be "paired up" with Anna, the two of us know each other and Myrmidon is similar to trickster." Said Vasto.

"But Gaius and Anna would have little red haired..." said Robin with a squeal. Vasto looked at Robin confused. "Nevermind."

"The reason that Maribelle is on her own is because it's bloody impossible for her to make friends." said Robin bluntly.

Vasto raised a eyebrow.

"She was sitting with others last night?" Asked Vasto.

"Sure. But then again, she was probably thinking to herself _"Oh my, I do hate these disgusting common folks."_ or something like that." Said Robin with a scarily good Maribelle impression. Vasto snorted and laughed.

"Well, that does sound like her. But no friends?" Asked Vasto.

"Well, Lissa likes her, and... That's about it. Maribelle seems to hate everyone, and trying to stop that seems a lot like hard work for little reward." Said Robin.

Vasto scratched the back of his neck, not sure whether this was a little too mean.

"So every time some handsome guy joins the group, he spends at least one mission with Maribelle. They get to learn the ropes and stay alive, and I can see if anyone is actually able to be friends with her." Said Robin.

"You haven't tried?" Asked Vasto.

Robin laughed.

"God no. She insults me every time I'm not leading everyone into battle. The feelings mutual, but I'm friends with Lissa and she's one of our few healers, so I try not to be too harsh." Said Robin.

"She... she's a noble Robin, they are sort of brought up to keep the lower classes at bay." Said Vasto.

"Lissa's the bloody princess, and she hangs out with thieves and warriors." Said Robin.

"Touché. But I'm not sure I agree with you on it's not worth it." Said Vasto.

It was Robin's turn to raise a eyebrow.

"Oh really?" Asked Robin.

"Sure. Having a healer willing to help you is always useful, no doubt Lissa will find it hard to forgive me for a while, and Anna isn't great at healing. She also has a wicked sense of sarcasm, which is surprising, I was under the impression you guys were a bunch of angst ridden teenagers, or complete goody goody two shoes." Said Vasto.

"Do you always think of friendship in terms of what it gives to you?" asked Robin.

Vasto looked at Robin with a _Really?_ Look on his face.

"Of course not. But as a Commander, it is vital that there is good Morale and retort between soldiers. Without that and a army might fall apart." Said Vasto.

"Of course. That's why I pair up people." Said Robin.

"So they might have a good retort? Or so that you might matchmake them?" Asked Vasto.

Robin looked shocked that the Plegian had caught on so very quickly to Robin's master plan.

"Look, if you say a word to anyone about this, the entire thing falls apart!" Said Robin in a hushed whsiper

"Your threatening the entire war, so that you might... Play matchmaker!" Said Vasto.

"It's working. Look, any day now Chrom and Sumia will say those three words. Lon'qu and Lissa are just adorable and I think it'll do him some good. Virion and Sully can't help but trade barbs with each other, yet the two of them clearly think fondly of the other. And so many more. If you ruin this for me, I'll throw you into Breakneck pass!" Said Robin.

Vasto and his horse edged away from Robin.

"Don't you think that your duty to your nation comes first." Said Vasto.

"But they work more effectively as romantic pairs!" Said Robin.

_Grima damn, how did I lose to this idiot. Maybe he's right.  
_

"All right. Look, if I don't mention this to anyone else, you help me with something." Said Vasto.

"With what?" Asked Robin.

Vasto looked around.

"My Best Friend General Mustafa has had his entire family taken hostage at the request of Gangrel. Mustafa had been unwilling to fight in another war, but Gangrel forced his hand. I know we must be heading to Plegia soon, so I ask you. When the time comes, perhaps I might need you to stage a prison break." Said Vasto.

"A prison break? Shit. Do other generals have their families hostage?" Asked Robin.

Vasto shook his head.

"I don't know. Campari never mentioned it. Perhaps my own family are hostages. Doesn't matter." Said Vasto.

"I am not going to force you to fight if it'll kill your family." Said Robin.

"I'd rather die then let them die, and I'd rather let them die then let my country sink into the depths that Gangrel is dragging us." Said Vasto. "You have nothing to worry about, so long as you don't hurt innocent Plegian's, I will fight for you."

"Good to hear." Said Robin.

.

* * *

.

After a long week, after training with Lon'qu seven times, after arguing with Stahl and Vaike who would win in a fight between Chrom and Frederick, after arguing with Maribelle about... Something.  
They were finally here. Back in Ylissitol.

Vasto had only been to the city once, about fifteen years ago, and that time it was mostly on fire.  
The city seemed to be simple, row upon row of small houses, the landscape rising towards the palace at the centre of the city.

Of course, Vasto tried to keep a low profile between the gates and the Shepherd barracks. He was in Plegian Wyvern rider uniform and could easily be lynched by the public.

So he made his way into the Shepherd's armory, and had Lon'qu helping him with his new uniform.

"Didn't think someone who feared women so much would be even remotely good with fashion." Said Vasto sarcastically.

"Quiet Plegian." Said Lon'qu as he continued to look around the armory with Vasto.

So far, Vasto was wearing the basic uniform of a Ylissean Myrmidon, the tail coat included. But Vasto was used to the heavier armor of the Wyvern Rider uniform, and so far had added the shoulder pads from that. The chest piece from the armor was, as Vasto find out over the past two weeks, a little restricting for the fast swipes and speed of a Myrmidon. Therefore, he and Lon'qu were looking for a chest piece suitable for decent armor yet light enough to be used.

"I find it strange." Said Lon'qu.

"Find what strange?" Asked Vasto.

"Two things. One, other then some bad jokes, you have made little comment on my... irregularity. And two, you would so easily join us after we killed your fellow men." Replied Lon'qu.

Vasto made a pair of fists with his hands, then unclenched them. He knew one day someone was going to ask this question.

"...I never liked this war." Said Vasto.

"That's all you have to say?" Asked Lon'qu.

"You're not exactly talkative yourself. This might be the first conversation we've had not to do with training. I had to find out about your problem from Robin." Said Vasto. Vasto sighed as he checked out a piece of chest armor, observed it's weight and decided it too heavy and placed it back down. "And this war. That's why I'm here. So more of my men, my people don't need to die."

"We'll kill anyone that stands in our path of peace." Said Lon'qu.

Vasto let out a dry laugh.  
"Ironic right?" Said Vasto.

"It is..." Said Lon'qu.

"The duty of the strong to protect the weak?" Asked Vasto.

Lon'qu turned around and faced his conversation partner, who was looking right at Lon'qu, standing straight and his hands by his sides.

"We too are taught that same lesson. It is a lesson many forget. Soldiers are trained to Serve, not to be served." Said Vasto.

"Your a wiser man that I thought." Said Lon'qu.

Vasto laughed again.  
"A witty quote proves nothing." Said Vasto.

"Indeed." Said Lon'qu simply.

The two of them returned to selecting out pieces of armor. Lon'qu held up the neck piece of fighter armor and showed it too Vasto. He simply shook his head in hidden disgust.

"So what will you do when this war is over?" Asked Lon'qu.

"Are we assuming Ylissean victory or Plegian." Asked Vasto.

"Let's start with Plegia." Said Lon'qu.

Instantly Vasto answered.

"Evacuate to Valm, find a Wyvern to train, do so, then become a mercenary." Said Vasto.

"You wouldn't try and find your way back into Plegia?" Asked Lon'qu.

"I will not be able to. And I'm not sure... did you know the reason I came to this city last?" Asked Vasto.

Lon'qu didn't respond, which Vasto took as a "no?".

"It was the closing days of the last war. General Harper had taken the prince Gangrel hostage. King Garrus had been killed in battle. The fires of Plegia burnt on and on. I was part of Operation:SENTINEL. A last counter-attack against Ylissitol to both rescue our new king and kill the Exalt. I was a Myrmidon in Sergeant Mustafa's squad, and we were one of many selected to attempt to rescue the Prince." Explained Vasto.  
"But the day before, I dreamt my father spook to me. He told me to use Yamakaze, my Wyvern. I rode her into battle, despite not knowing how. And on her back, I carried Mustafa, what remained of my squad and the new king himself out of Ylisse."

Vasto wiped his brow.  
"It turned out to be one of the last battles of the war. Both objectives were successful. The new Exalt, aged ten, sued for peace with my nation. The genocide was over. But I still remembered the fires that we set in Ylissitol. We almost burnt this entire city to the ground. We killed... so many people. Innocents, soldiers. It didn't matter. They were all guilty of supporting the Exalt in our eyes." Said Vasto. "Now I'm here again."

Lon'qu nodded at Vasto.

"I understand." Said Lon'qu. "So what about if Ylisse wins?"

Vasto laughed a hollow laugh.

"Big if I think... I... I don't know yet. I'll get back to you on that one." Said Vasto.

"You don't think we'll win?" Asked Lon'qu.

"You do? We're outnumbered, Ylisse isn't aggressive enough. The last war ended in both countries nearly destroying each other." Said Vasto.

"Then that makes your pledge to fight with us even more important." Said Lon'qu.

Lon'qu held up the piece of chest armor, it was the chest piece of the Highly skilled and trained mercenary units, heroes even. He turned around to show it too Vasto.  
And saw that the Plegian was looking at him with a look that could be said to be... gratitude.

"It's perfect. Thanks Lon'qu." Said Vasto.

Vasto grabbed the armor and stepped into another room to change.

.

* * *

.

Vasto returned to the armory in full uniform.  
Gone was most of the red Wyvern rider uniform, in it's place the Myrmidon tailcoat and other clothing, including the shoulder padsof the Wyvern rider, but beneath the coat but over the over clothes was the steel armor of the Hero.

"Not bad eh?" Said Vasto.

"It'll protect you, but are you sure you wish to sacrifice such speed?" asked Lon'qu.

Vasto gave a few practise swings with Proscepto's sword.

"It's only slight, much lighter then my old armor." Said Vasto.

"If you say so Plegian." Said Lon'qu.

The two of them walked out the armory.

"You didn't answer my other question." Said Lon'qu.

Without skipping a beat Vasto said:  
"The reason I don't really care is because it's clearly a involuntary action, perhaps brought on by a traumatic event, and I no doubt that everyone is forcing you to deal with it. So I though I'd be one of the few people to leave it alone." Said Vasto.

Lon'qu nodded.

"Cheers." He said.

"Anytime." Said Vasto.

The two of them entered the Shepherd mess hall. In there was almost every other Shepherd.

"Good of you two to join us, that just leaves Anna and Donnel still out in the city." Said Chrom with a detectable trance of calm fury in his voice..

"Do we wait for everyone to arrive before eating?" Asked Vasto as he sat down on one of the benches next to a long table.

"No, but for briefings we do. I've filled everyone else in, but Robin's still working on the strategy." Replied Chrom.

"Strategy for what? What has occurred?" Asked Lon'qu.

"It's my sister. The Exalt has been kidnapped. The Plegian's have taken her into the desert." Replied Chrom.

_Oh shit.  
._

* * *

_._

_**And there we are this week for Master & Commander. Sorry for the lack of action, but I thought I'd write about Vasto integrating into the Shepherd's a little, but pretty much for the next few chapters it's nothing but the rest of the Plegia arc. Chapter 8 of the game is next, which means It's almost Motherfucking Gregor time. Peace out.**_


	7. Chapter 7: Never going back again

_**Master & Commander**_

_**Chapter Seven: Never going back again**_

_**.**_

_Diary entry no.12..._

_Diary entry no.1_

_New diary entry system I think. New beginning and all.  
So... Shepherd's eh? I joined the very people that killed my men, that are facing down my country and that almost killed me.  
The irony is painful._

_But I... Don't regret my decision too much. Many fall, but one remains after all._  
_...Don't know what exactly that means but whatever._

So, I should've updated you more recently, but we are about to move out, so I'll just focus on today's events.

_We have all began our march towards Plegia. I hear that the Feroxians and Ylliseans are sending in more conventional forces into the country in order to stage a counter attack, but as a small elite force we are the most likely to be able to get the Exalt free._

_Oh yeah, the Exalt has been kidnapped.  
And not by me._

_So with that, I am returning to Plegia. I don't think the route we are taking will bring us anywhere near Shevarin, so no awkward meeting with my family. Not yet._  
_Save that for later I suppose._

_I'm currently psyching myself up in order to... in order to kill my own countrymen._  
_It's... Admittedly quite difficult. But in the greater scheme of things Plegia is relying on me to do whatever it takes to bring down Gangrel and save Plegia from itself._

_As long as I don't have to face people I've trained or trained with I should be okay. I'm not sure I could kill Khalphja or Mustafa. _

_Could kill Parma that prick._

_I will not receive any mercy from any Plegians there, I am a traitor in their eyes..._

_Probably in my family's and in Mustafa's too._

_Should be in Plegia by the end of the week. We've been given several carriages and horses to help us make the journey. Will be difficult for them if we want to make the quickest route, the sands are difficult for wheeled vehicles and for horses. Perhaps we could find some Camels or Sand Striders in a border town._

_We're moving again._

_Vasto Olio Prestoria, Ex-Commander of the Plegian Army_

_Actually. I've come this far, may as well sign off with:_

_Vasto Olio Prestoria, Shepherd_

_._

* * *

.

It had been a day into the march. Three more days and the Shepherd's would cross the border between Ylisse and Plegia. A long ride, but a necessary one.

Vasto was sat with the people he considered his friends so far in the Shepherds. Vaike, Miriel, Ricken, Maribelle. Sadly Stahl was busy and Anna was talking to the boss. Virion, Lon'qu, Sully and Lissa had joined the fire, where the nine of them were sitting down and resting after a long day. Stahl was on watch, and Vasto would relieve him of it later.

He surprised Vasto a fair amount that Robin and Chrom had so quickly changed the timetable for night watch, in both the sense that it was paperwork and that Vasto hadn't exactly done much to prove himself trustworthy. Probably why he was sharing his watch with Ricken.

"The Exalt will be fine Princess. I insist that you remove your grip from around my arm." Said Lon'qu stoically, but his face betrayed his nervousness.

She did so, but mumbled.  
"I hope so."

"We'll get her back. And we'll end this war." Said Vasto. He thought that this meant little, hearing about a successful kidnapping of her sister from a guy that had also tried to kidnap her, but he felt as if it was the right thing to do. Her slight smile told him it might have been.

"Teach wouldn't let anything happen to a sweet lady like Emmeryn." Said Vaike.

"Can we move off the topic of my sister please." Said Lissa.

"Sure. All this reassurance stuff is a load of crap anyway." Said Sully.

"But I pride myself on my magnificent "Everything will be okay" face." Said Virion.

"I'll smash your "Come hither" face is you do it again." Said Sully.

"Why such anger darling?" Asked Virion.

Vasto, with all the tact of a Wyvern, asked a simple question.  
"Hey... Aren't you the Duke of Rosanne?" Asked Vasto.

The others looked between Vasto and Virion thoroughly confused. Virion looked shocked, but quickly corrected himself.

"Of course not. I do come from such a lovely Dukedom, and I hear that the Duke himself is a fine figure, but alas, I am not he. What makes you believe that I am so Noble?" Asked Virion.

Vasto stroked his chin.  
"Just, part of my education in Plegia was to do with other countries, you know, once we invaded them. And we thought it useful to learn just who was in charge. You look remarkably like the Duke, but that was 6 years ago during officer school, so I may simply be mistaken." Said Vasto.

"You know about the Duke of a country on the other side of the world but not of a noble lady in a country that Plegia could actually reasonably go to war with?" Asked Maribelle a little hurt.

"You are merely the daughter of a nobleman, and if Vasto is telling the truth and he received such education 6 years ago, you would've been merely eleven and highly unimportant." Said Miriel.

"Exactly, you would've been... Eleven!" Shouted Vasto.

"Something the matter?" Asked Maribelle confused.

"You were only eleven 6 years ago!" Shouted Vasto, drawing several odd stares from around the fire.

"It is improper to ask a lady her age." Said Maribelle.

"Yeah, there's improper, then there's the fact that you are barely a adult." Said Vasto.

"I am fully capable of helping out on the field of battle if that is your concern." Maribelle huffed. "Anyway, your pretty young yourself!"

Vasto laughed.  
"Young lady, I'm almost thirty. I know I look good and all, but I'm pretty old by what seems to be the Shepherds' standards. Besides, you barely help on the battlefield anyway." He replied.

"I seem to remember that your leg would be a great sheath for an axe right now if it wasn't for me. And your shoulder would be both sliced and containing an arrow." Replied Mairbelle.

"Oh what fun. It is good to see that nobility sniping at their social lessers is as common here as it is in Valm. Though if I were a noble I suppose I'd be taking it a tad more literally." Said Virion.

"In Ferox nobles are approachable and nice." Said Lon'qu stoically.

"And I'm not?" Asked Lissa with a pout.

"You are vexing." Lon'qu shot back quickly.

"What about me?" Asked Maribelle.

This quickly silenced everyone.

Lon'qu rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh hey, would you look at the time! Me and Lon'qu have to go do that thing!" Shouted Vasto.

Lon'qu looked at Vasto oddly.

"Right. That thing." He said stoically.

"How can you tell the time without a sun or a water-clock?" Asked Miriel, hoping to discover this seemingly perfect internal Chronological recording device the Plegian seemed to own.

"...Magic." Said Vasto.

He and Lon'qu began to stand up. Vasto also signalled to Ricken, for in all honesty it would soon be their turn to begin the night watch.

"Right. Now Virion, Vaike, leave Lissa for Lon'qu. Have a good night people." Said Vasto with a florish.

Lon'qu blushed furiously as the three of them walked away from the fire.

"What was that about?" Asked Lon'qu, trying to sound stoic.

"Oh don't worry about it. Those two are probably not even going to try and pick them up anyway." Said Vasto. He scratched his chin. "Well... Vaike won't succeed anyway."

"Right. Whatever." Said Lon'qu _very convincingly_.

"What about you Ricken? Should I have added any other names on my list?" Asked Vasto.

"I've no idea what you are talking about." He said simply.

"Course you don't." Said Vasto with a slight sigh. Vasto wasn't very good with Teenagers. He had plenty of experience looking after Mustafa's son, but he was about ten years old at the moment.

"Can we move off the topic of women. It is a most common and annoying conversation for me." Said Lon'qu.

"Sure. Shall we let Stahl get some rest and relieve him early?" Asked Vasto to Ricken.

"I suppose so." Said Ricken.

"And what should I do?" Asked Lon'qu.

Vasto shrugged.

"You can go join that fire over there..." Said Vasto as he pointed towards the one that had Chrom, Sumia, Robin, some guy in extremely heavy armor, Gaius, Panne, Anna and Cordelia. "Or you can go back to the fire and suck it up."

Lon'qu rubbed the back of his neck as he thought it through.

"There may be something I require to discuss with our tactician. Good night gentleman." Said Lon'qu.

Both Ricken and Vasto replied with a quick "Night."

Ricken turned to Vasto.

"Shall we find Stahl?" He asked.

Vasto nodded.  
"Lead the way." Vasto replied.

.

* * *

.

"So there were four wyvern riders. I had the unconscious body of our soon to be king next to me, and Sergeant Master Mustafa was on Yamakaze's back too, rapidly losing blood. It was just me, Yamakaze and the axe in my hand." Explained Vasto as he and Ricken walked around the camp, glancing into the woods next to it to watch for danger.

"What happened?" Asked Ricken, enthralled by the Plegian's war story, both because it was pretty cool and apparently he was Ricken's age when it happened.

"Well, I held the axe out and pointed at one of the Wyvern riders, who I considered to be their leader, and I said "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!" That bastard charged forward, so I threw my axe as hard as I could. I didn't have nearly as much upper body strength back then as I did today, so the axe missed and harmlessly hit his Wyvern's armor." Said Vasto.

"Oh no." Replied Ricken as the two of them walked past the healing tent.

"Yeah. So I was weaponless. But then I pulled up with Yamakaze, narrowly missing getting hit by the Ylissean's axe. But in the chaos I let go of the reins and I fell off Yamakaze!" shouted Vasto. "But by pure chance, I landed, without any weapons I might add, right onto the bastard's own Wyvern. Right behind the rider."

Vasto took a breath, both in order to talk more and to build tension.

"I and the rider had barely any time to realise just what happened when I got him into a headlock. He struggled and struggled, but his Wyvern didn't deviate or try to throw me off. Soon he ran out of breath, and I grabbed his own axe then threw his unconscious body off the Wyvern and into the streets below." Said Vasto. "I held up this new axe in my hands, stood up on the back of this strange Wyvern, and pointed with my free hand at one of the other Wyvern riders."

"Whoa." Said Ricken simply. It barely crossed his mind that the people Vasto was talking about killing were actually his own countrymen.

"Yeah. Then of course, I realised that the fire bomb the mages had set up was..." Said Vasto before he stopped himself. His sudden stop had also caused Ricken to pause. Vasto held a hand against his ear.

"You hear something?" whispered Ricken.

Vasto shushed Ricken and listened for a few seconds more.

"Units mounted. Coming this way. From the forest. Sound the alarm." Said Vasto bluntly as he drew his sword.

Ricken nodded and ran, ringing the small bell he had previously kept at his waist in order to wake up the other Shepherds.

Vasto stretched his shoulders, planted his feet into the ground and faced the forest.

"Come and have a go..." He mumbled to himself, focusing only on the forest.

The first mounted unit arrived.

A dark...Creature in the shape of a man. Vasto had only heard rumours of these foul creatures. Creations of the Grimleal.  
These...Risen.

"...If you think you're hard enough." He mumbled as the Risen came into his sword's range.

He swung directly at the horse as the rider tried to pass Vasto.  
Swinging at the horse's leg, the horse and it's rider toppled to the floor.

Vasto swung his sword around a few times to practise as the dark shape of a man got off the ground as it's horse groaned in pain.

For a few seconds Plegian and undead creature stared into each others eyes, both waiting for the other to make the first move.

The sound and sight of more and more Risen emerging from the forest made Vasto swing first.

The Risen rider tried to parry the swing with it's lance, but failed, and if it could think it would regret as the black and steel sword of Proscepto swung into it's side, tearing halfway through it's body before being ripped out. The black smoke of it's insides rose as the creature fell to the floor.

"One more falls." Said Vasto simply as he watched.

The risen must've numbered easily in the twenties as they rode and marched through the camp. The other Shepherds were getting themselves armed, but for the moment it was only Vasto on the battlefield.

Vasto grinned and ran a hand through his hair before placing both hands upon the grip of his sword.~

"Show me a good time." He shouted as he ran towards the centre of the camp.

A Risen Myrmidon was the first to notice him, and it planted both feet on the ground and readied itself for the charging Plegian.

The Plegian jumped into the air some 4 ft away from the Risen Myrmidon and swung downwards with his sword. The Risen parried the blow but was pushed backwards as the Plegian landed with a thump.

The two of them swung to their lefts, blades colliding in the middle.

Each kept their blade their, trying to overpower the other. Until the Plegian shoulder barged the risen onto the floor and drove the sword into it's heart.

"Many fall..." Said Vasto.

"Vasto!" shouted a familiar voice. Vasto turned to face the Chon'sin.

"You awake Lon'qu?" Asked Vasto.

Lon'qu nodded.

"Great. Let's get going." Said Vasto.

The two of them walked towards the centre, more and more Shepherds joined the fray.  
To the right of them, Sully was smashing Risen in the face whilst Virion deftly shot past her.

To the left, Ricken was throwing fireball after fireball towards two risen barbarians.

Both Vasto and Lon'qu turned to face the three Risen in front of them. A Knight followed by two thieves.

"Ready?" Asked Vasto as he drew his sword and pointed it towards the three risen.

"Stand tall." Lon'qu simply replied.

The two of them rushed the Risen, Vasto darting off to the right of them and Lon'qu to the left.

The Risen Thieves turned to face each of them, whilst the Risen knight walked backwards in order to keep both Myrmidons in it's sight.

The Thief facing Vasto swung first, but Vasto easily parried the blow.  
Then the Thief very quickly swung from the other direction, surprising Vasto and sending his sword out of his hands and onto the floor about 8ft away.

Vasto took a step back and smirked.  
"Smart." He said.

And then he raised both fists.

The Risen thief swung again, into Vasto's left side. But Vasto quickly jumped right and threw a punch into the Risen's left shoulder.

The Risen stepped back but didn't falter and swung again.  
Vasto kicked the sword in mid air, the Risen thief managed to keep it in his hand but it's arm was sent backwards, stunning the Theif for a few seconds.

Which was long enough for Vasto to charge forward, shoulder barging the the Risen and sending it onto it's back.  
Vasto slammed his foot onto the Risen's neck and twisted his foot, breaking it.

Vasto was about to let out a quip when the knight charged at him, barging him with his shield and sending him flying back.

Vasto's vision blurred as he scrambled back, still on his back.  
His head hurt, and he was pretty sure he broke a rib on the fall.  
Vasto turned to see Lon'qu had just finished off the other Risen thief, but Vasto had to look around the looming Risen knight.

"So this is it." Vasto mumbled.

He'd survived the Plegia-Ylisse genocide, he fought during the Darius insurrection and was there for the battle of Marathinia. He rode a Wyvern over seas and fought against pirates during the anti piracy raids 3 years ago.  
And he was going to die to some Grima damned ugly ass zombie thing dressed in heavy armor.

"Fuck that." He grumbled, his head swimming.

Vasto scrambled backwards even more until his hand meet a familiar cool metal object, covered in black ichor.  
Vasto brought forth his sword in front of him and, whilst still lying on the ground, concussion affecting his thought process and facing down a massive warrior, pointed his sword at the knight and yelled out a single sentence.

"I wont let fear compromise who I am!" He shouted, though he was pretty sure it came out more of a "eghh won et fher Compomiss who ay is!"

The Risen Knight laughed.

Until a single hand pressed against the giants shoulder. The Knight turned around to face a pissed off Lon'qu armed with a sword, covered in the black ichor.

"You're no warrior." He says.

The knight roars and charges forward, but Lon'qu predicts it and jumps to the side, the knight charges ahead until it realises that the black haired man isn't in front of it.

By this time, Lon'qu is charging forward and swings his sword into the back of the heavily armored knight.

The giant roared, but the armor is enough that it isn't paralysed, and it turned to face the Myrmidon.

Just as it brings it massive axe upon Lon'qu, a fire ball out of nowhere flies through the air and smashes the giant in the back of it's head.

"Ricken." Vasto said as the diminutive mage walks into Vasto's view.

"This is going to hurt!" the young teenager shouts.

The giants rushes towards the young mage, and Lon'qu uses the distraction to slash again at the giant's back, further weakening it. But it didn't stop it's relentless charge, and was heading quickly towards Ricken.

Vasto realised just how likely it was that the young man would be killed, and as quickly as he could, using his sword as a impromptu crutch, got onto his feet and stumbled in front of the charging behemoth once more.

"The cycle must end!" He shouted as he swung his sword into the face of the knight. The Blade, with some difficulty, cut through both the helmet and the skull of the knight, sending it to a skidding stop.

This skidding stop however also used Vasto's body as a brake, and the two warriors collided once more, sending Vasto soaring through the air.

That last thing he saw before the darkness enveloped him was both Ricken and Lon'qu running towards him, and a few other Shepherds arrive.

And with that, he smiled and slipped into the darkness...

.

* * *

.

"_When earth is sundered and skies choked black." Said a ethereal voice in the darkness._

"_And dreamers serve the dragon most foul."  
"To the Hearth there comes a stranger."  
"Travelled far neath moon and Star."_

_._

"_Come soldier of the desert. Surely you see the righteousness of my cause." Said a booming voice.  
"It is the duty of the strong to protect the weak!" Shouted a ever so familiar voice to Vasto.  
"And that is what I intend. By ruling over the weak, I can protect them from themselves." Said the same booming voice.  
"And what happens when the strong... when you grow weak in old age. Can you rely on those that follow you to be as strong?" asks the familiar voice.  
._

"_Dad. You have to wake up. Come on dad." Said the young voice.  
The one the child referred to as dad grumbled. He looked to be in his late thirties, with a stubble and spiky combed back hair of blond._

_"Dad! Come on! It's fathers day!" Said the child._

_"All right son. Yeesh. What did you get your old man this year?" Asks the older man._

_The child scratches the back of his neck and moves his hand from his back and shows the older man what he had in his hands._

"_It's a mug I made at school. It's got a picture of you riding Yamakaze." Said the seven year old boy._

_The old man held the mug in his hands, sure enough, it had a crude drawing of him in some strange armor riding on a stick figure representation of his own Wyvern._

_"It's great son. I love it." Said the man with a smile.  
The kid let loose the breath he didn't know he was holding._

_"Now come on. Let's see what your sister has got me." Said the man._

_"But daddd. She's one years old. She couldn't have got you anything. Mum probably made it for her to give you!" Whined the Child.  
The man rubbed the little child's hair._

"_Vasto. You have to wake up." Said the old man.  
The child looked at the old man strangely._

_"I am awake dad." Said the child._

_"No you aren't. Get yourself back into the fight Vasto. The Shepherds need you." Said the old man._

_"But... I'll be leaving you." Said the child._

_"I never left you son. Go on now. End the cycle." Said the old man.  
The boy sniffed, holding back tears._

_"But... It's difficult." the boy said._

"_I know. But every time you get knocked down, you have to get back up." Said the old man._

_The boy allowed a single tear to run down his cheek.  
"I'm scared... What if I fail. What if I die..." Said the boy._

_"Remember what I taught you. You wont let fear compromise who you are." Said the older man as he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "More then one person is relying on you. The whole of Plegia. Mustafa, these... Shepherds. You must keep going."_

_"Do I have a choice?" Asked the young boy._

_"Vasto. You would never take the other option. Your not a coward. You will fight until your last breath. You will end the cycle of revenge." Said the old man. "I believe in you."_

_"Yamakaze's gone." Said Vasto, as he felt his body change into his older self. The twenty nine year old solider, with spiky combed hair and a stubble._

_"And many more will follow before the Cycle ends. But it will be necessary. And you will not be alone." Said Folto Prestoria._

_"I'm sorry I can't stay dad." Said Vasto._

_"I'm not. We will meet again. But not yet. You are not done yet." Said Folto. "Remember... Don't let fear compromise who you are."_

_Vasto nodded. And, with that, turned away from the spectral image of his dead father and walked through the door leading out of his parent's old bedroom._

.

* * *

_._

"Fuck me..." Mumbled Vasto.  
He opened his eyes to find his was inside one of the Carriages the Shepherds had brought with them. He was on a bed, and he was wearing little more then a pair of underwear.

"Naga above! You're awake!" shouted a familiar voice.

"Not so loud please." Said Vasto as he clutched his head and nursed his headache. He closed his eyes.

"Where am I?" He asked, not even opening his eyes to look at the familiar usually haughty voice.

"The medical carriage. You've been in and out of consciousness for 3 days." Said Maribelle, sounding surprisingly soft.

"Explains the thirst and hunger." Vasto said to himself.

"Oh. Right. Sorry." Said Marribelle. Vasto heard the sound of frantic searching and the oh so sweet sound of water being poured.

"We're in Plegia right now, so we have to ration this. But we got plenty enough if you need more." Said Marribelle as she presumably held a glass of water in her hands.

Vasto opened his eyes to see Maribelle in front of him, sweating slightly from the now evident heat. Despite being used to the Plegia climate, Vasto felt rather hot too.

With a kind smile he grasped the glass and took a swig.

The cool water slipped down his throat, and Vasto put it up there with the best 10 drinks he had ever had.  
That might just be delirium, since that included drinking excellent vintage wine with the then new king of Plegia and several bottles of expensive whisky with Mustafa and his friends on his stag night.

"Thank you." Vasto said simply.

He looked at the rest of the glass, which was about ¼ full of cold water. He poured the rest on his head and let the cold water seep into his skin.

Maribelle turned away from the shirtless Vasto.

"Is that strictly necessary?" She stuttered.

"I've been out for 3 days, I'm kind of hot." Said Vasto.

Vasto swore that he heard a murmur of... something before Maribelle turned to him again.

"You'll have to spend at least one more day in bed I'm afraid, and I suggest against fighting too much the day after too. But thanks to the miracle of healing magic, you should be okay after that. Chrom may want to talk to you about traversing the desert, and I think at some point Ricken may want to thank you himself." Explained Maribelle.

"Right... How far are we from where they have the Exalt?" Asked Vasto.

"About four more days at this rate." Said Maribelle.

Vasto nodded.

"Right. One more question. Where are my clothes?" Asked Vasto.

Marribelle's face turned a little red.

"Right. I'll go fetch them from the other carriage. When we stop for the night you may want to have a wash or something." Said Maribelle.

"Do I smell that bad?" Asked Vasto.

"You haven't done much to work up a real sweat, but for your own benefit you may want it. I'll go fetch your clothes." Said Maribelle.

"Thanks Mari. And thanks for keeping me alive, I do enjoy living." Said Vasto with a smirk.

Maribelle nodded and got off of the moving carriage.

Vasto leant back into the bed and waited.

.

* * *

.

It had been a few hours after Vasto had gotten dressed, and he could see why Maribelle had subscribed bed rest. If he tried too hard to move his head would start screaming and there would be a pain a few of his ribs. Vasto assumed it was the ones he broke when was sent flying through the air twice.

And in this carriage along with Vasto was a fourteen year old mage.

"I want to thank you." Said the little guy.

"It's nothing mate. You'd do the same for anyone else in this army." Said Vasto.

"Probably not if I had a concussion and had just broken three of my ribs." Said Ricken. "But that's not the only reason why I'm thanking you."

Vasto turned to look at Ricken, his eyebrow raised in interest.

"You're the only one that treats me like a adult. Anyone else would shouted at me to stop fighting, or pushed me out the way because I'm young and innocent. You did it because you knew that no matter how old I was, with my fortitude that Risen would have killed me." Said Ricken.

"I know what it's like to be a child soldier. If I had my way, I would send you home and tell you to stay out of it." Said Vasto.

Ricken looked a little annoyed.

"But not for the same reason that they do. They might think that you are too weak to fight in a war. That you aren't battle hardened. But I was a child soldier once too. No, children often make brutal and effective soldiers." Explained Vasto. Ricken's annoyance faded, replaced by interest in what Vasto was going to say. "But it changes you. War changes a man. And it changes children even more. You start... Empathy becomes a difficult concept. At first it's small things. "Oh that civilian is tired after running just two kilometres? Pffft. Pathetic.". But then it gets...worse."

Vasto tried to sit up, and after about two minutes succeeded. He stared the small form of Ricken right in the eyes.

"Soon you can't make friends with anyone that hasn't spilt blood. You start to hate anyone that complains about anything, while you were in the thick of it. You start hating civilians. You start finding it easier and easier to kill. Pretty soon you see civilians... sometimes even your own family as just numbers on a page. You lose sight of what you started fighting for." Said Vasto. "It's more common in children that start fighting. I realised I was heading down that road. And I did everything in my power to stop it. And even then, my only friends are a general, his family, my own family and... a few good...dead men."

"You think that... War will change me?" Asked Ricken in a quiet voice.

"Maybe. I don't know about mages. Maybe there's enough of a disconnect from the killing for you that it doesn't harm you. Maybe you'll keep that purpose for fighting right in the forefront of your mind. But one day, you may well look at the house of your family... and see that there is no one that understands you at all." Said Vasto.

Ricken nodded glumly.

"But desperate times call for desperate measures. Maybe we can end this war quickly and honourably. And you can go home a hero and still look yourself in the mirror. Or maybe you'll go home after two years, with most of your friends from your hometown dead. And in a few years you'll realise that you own reflection is a stranger." Said Vasto.

"But don't worry. So long as you're a Shepherd I will treat you like the Soldier you are. But you must take the good with the bad." Said Vasto.

Ricken looked down, then turned his glaze towards Vasto.

"Thank you Vasto." Said Ricken. "For saving my life."

"Any time Ricken. I won't hold out on you having to stop a rampaging dragon from eating me or something." Said Vasto with a tired smirk.

Ricken laughed.

"All right. I'm gonna catch some shut eye. See if you can't sneak me a second portion of dinner later, Maribelle insists I only need one. Well... only do it if Sully isn't cooking." Said Vasto.

Ricken nodded.

And with that, Vasto lay back down on the bed.  
.

* * *

.  
_**Two days later**_

"The desert terrain as you no doubt have realised will slow the pace of many of your soldiers." Said Vasto to Robin as the two of them rode their horses next to each other.

"What about you?" Asked Robin.

"I have lived here my entire life. I know how to traverse the dunes and sands. But I have little time to teach the others. Mages however wear lighter armor, and shouldn't be too badly affected." Explained Vasto.

"So... Flying units and Mages will be able to run and move at a normal pace?" Asked Robin.

"Yes. But anyone else will..." Vasto stopped. "Do you see that?"

Robin looked over the Sand dune they were riding on and looked into the distant. Every few seconds, there would be a bright light reflected.

"Yes. Chrom!" Shouted Robin.

"Yes Robin?" Asked Chrom.

"Ready the Shepherds. Get Ricken, Miriel, Sumia and Cordelia. The others I'll leave to whoever is armed at this moment." Said Robin.

"Aye." Replied Chrom simply as he rode off towards the rest of the Shepherd convoy.

Vasto and Robin turned around to face the dunes.

"You realise that if any Plegian finds we are here we will have to... deal with them." Said Vasto.

"Yes. I'm guessing this is one of the few times you're wishing that it's well armed vicious soldiers over there." Said Robin.

Vasto got out the pair of binoculars and looked at the light.

He saw several caravans... And a open cage on wheels. But he could make out little more at this range. Other then the fact this was a Grimleal convoy.

"Don't worry. It's Grimleal. Look." Vasto replied as he handed the binoculars to Robin.

Robin looked down the binoculars and said nothing for a few seconds. Then he stopped looking through them.

"They've seen out own convoy and are heading this way. They want a fight." Said Robin. "Will you be able to fight them?"

Vasto didn't say anything.

"Vasto, I need to know if you can do it." Said Robin.

Vasto gulped, but then let out a cocky grin.

"Never liked going to church anyway." He replied.

.

* * *

.

In the valley of sand, the two forces meet.

On one side, several Grimleal soldiers and dark mages. On the other, Robin, Chrom, Sumia, Cordelia, Ricken, Miriel, Vaike, Virion and Vasto.

"Ready yourselves!" Shouted Chrom.

"Ah... I did not expect the Shepherd commander." Said a wizened old man as he appeared out of nowhere. "Your death will serve a greater purpose then you can possibly imagine sire of Naga."

The old man turned to the rest of the Shepherds.

"Ah... The Traitor Commander, who threw away his men to fight against his own country." Said the old man. "Scum like you are a disgrace in the eyes of Grima."

Vasto seemed to shrink at the name, but then stood straight and stared the old man dead in the eyes.

"I fight so that our country will not sink to the deeps that Gangrel and your kind would drag us too. The Cycle must end." Said Vasto resolutely.

"And... Ah. Sweet child." Said the old man towards Robin. "We meet again."

Robin glared at the old man.

"What did you say?" He asked.

"Shepherds! To arms!" Shouted Chrom.

"Well, I'll allow my men the honor of spilling the blood of Ylisse." Said the old man, and with that, he disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke.

Robin in a instant surveyed the battlefield. With a army of mostly mages against him, he and the Shepherds would have to close the distance extremely quickly.

"Shepherds! Charge!" Ordered Robin.

Vasto focused. Mages. He hated mages.

He ran forth, used to the sand beneath his feet, towards a nearby myrmidon.

"For Plegia!" Vasto shouted for irony points.

"For Plegia!" The Myrmidon returned, charging towards Vasto.

The two of them collided, sword against sword.

They soon got out of their sword lock and slashed at each other again.  
Their swords collided in mid air, and the two of them tried to over power the other.  
It was man against man.

Until Vasto jumped backwards and skidded against the dune, grabbing a handful of the coarse sand.

The Myrmidon charged forward again, but Vasto simply threw the sand into his eyes, causing him to scream and scratch his eyes in pain.  
Vasto responded by stabbing his sword into the Myrmidon's chest, slicing through his spine.

He placed his leg against the Myrmidon's chest and dragged his black and steel sword out of the Myrmidon's chest.

"May the gods guide you in the next life." Said Vasto, before looking around on the battlefield.

He noticed two figures running towards the Shepherds line.

At the back, a man in his thirties, with red hair and a sword at his side.

And in front of him, a screaming twelve year old.

_What. _Vasto thought.

"Hey!" He shouted out.

The Twelve year old girl turned to him.

"Oh look! Yllisean's! Thanks mister!" shouted the little girl as she ran towards him.

Vasto momentarily was pissed off that he was called a Ylissean, but the moment passed.

"Little girly. I think you should not be making with the alliances so quickly." Said the older man in a accent of... Some description. Maybe somewhere on Valm.

"And who are you?" Asked Vasto, checking around to see the situation, and safe that there weren't any mages about to throw fire balls or lightening at his head.

"I am Gregor. Sell sword. I was helping dragon here." Said the old man.

"Dragon? Mate, the sun's gotten to you. That's a twelve year old girl." Said Vasto.

"HEY! I'm... A thousand?" Said the little girl. "Something around there."

Vasto stared at the little girl who might be a dragon, then turned to the older man.

"Right... Maybe the sun got to me." Mumbled Vasto.

"You are fighting Grimleal no?" Asked the older man.

"Yes. We are." Said Vasto.

"Gregor still has tricks up sleeve. I will begin fighting with you." Said the red haired old man.

"Ehhh..." Said Vasto.

"I ain't going back to slavery again. So shall I." said the little girl.

Before Vasto could interrupt with a "Where's your weapon?" or "I thought Ricken was bad enough" or even "What." The "Little girl" turned into a rainbow colored Dragon.

"...What." Said Vasto.

"You get used to the transforming stuff." Said Gregor simply.

Vasto stood there with his mouth hung open before realising his was in the middle of a warzone.

"Right. Take your word for it. Ready to kill some Grimleal?" Asked Vasto.

"Gregor always ready to kill old employees." Said Gregor, before he realised what he said.

"Yep. So glad you're helping me." Mumbled Vasto.

The two of them, plus a fucking flying dragon ran, or in the dragon's case, flew, towards the Grimleal soldiers.

_Well...This is going to be fun._

.

* * *

_._

_**Annnnnnnnnd that's all for this week folks. Long chapter, and it would be evvvven longer if I added the rest of the battle and the after action stuff, so I'll save that for next time. But yeah, I've now made up a full name for Vasto (Why does no one in this game have any surnames anyway?) and we've meet with Gregor and Nowi. Plus, some concussion induced dreams and more.**_

_**Hope you enjoy it, and see you next time.**_


	8. Chapter 8: The lord giveth

_**Master & Commander**_

_**Chapter 8: The lord giveth...**_

_**.**_

Vasto ran forward, with the red haired mercenary Gregor beside him.

"You know... I haven't actually been paid since I joined the Shepherds. You may wanna discuss pay with the boss once we get out of here." Said Vasto as the two of them spotted two Mages launching fireballs at Cordelia.

"That come later. We aught to stop pretty pegasis lady from being set on fire." Said Gregor.

"True." Said Vasto.

Vasto and Gregor ran towards the two mages.

When they got to about 10ft of them, the two mages finally saw the terrifying well armed duo drawing their swords and quickly threw fireballs at them.

Vasto dodged the fireball by jumping to the side whilst Gregor dissipated it by swinging his sword at the ball of plasma.

Vasto raised his eyebrows, impressed, before continuing to charge towards the two mages.

Once Vasto got in sword range of one of the mages he brought his sword down in a overhead swing.

The mage, desperate, tried to block the blow with his spell tome. The sword cut through the large book and slashed the mage across the face, leaving a nasty scar and forcing the mage to kneel in pain.

Vasto merely kicked the mage in the head, knocking him unconscious.

Meanwhile, Gregor shoulder barged the other mage, sending him sprawling onto the floor.  
After that, ignoring the frantic spew of prayers to Grima the mage was saying, Gregor stabbed the Mage right in the eye, killing him instantly.

"Nice work." Said Gregor.

"Likewise." Replied Vasto.

Gregor turned and nodded at the pretty pegasis rider, who nodded in return.

"Gregor not used to running on sands." Said Gregor as he paused for breath.

"Takes a while." Said Vasto. "It's in the technique."

"Gregor hate fighting in desert." Gregor mumbled as the two of them scanned the battlefield as a rainbow colored dragon flew overhead.

"Why do you think us Plegian's enjoy invading other countries." Said Vasto.

Gregor turned to face the only slightly younger man.

"You Plegian?" He asked.

"Yeah...long story. Is that a problem?" Asked Vasto.

"No. Gregor work with Plegians before. Sometimes kill them, sometimes kill for them. It's no different then anyone else." Replied Gregor with a shrug.

"Good to know." Replied Vasto. He pointed to somewhere on the battlefield. "Over there. Two myrmidons, moving on Chrom."

"Chrom is blue haired Handsome man no?" Asked Gregor.

"Yep." Said Vasto a little quickly.

"Let's go." Said Gregor as he holstered his sword and cracked his knuckles. "It's Gregor time."

Vasto glanced at the Gregor, just wondering what accent made you speak in third person constantly, but decided that this guy seemed pretty badass and elected to ignore it.  
The two ran towards the two myrmidons.

The sand was really affecting Gregor. He was barely able to keep up with Vasto's pace.

"If it gets really bad, run sideways, better grip." Explained Vasto.

"Thank you Stubble man." Said Gregor. Vasto laughed.

Vasto slowed his pace to allow Gregor to keep up, but he knew if the two of them didn't act quickly Chrom and Sumia would be surrounded.

"We're alm..." Vasto began to say.

Vasto was interrupted by a flash of light and a intense searing pain in his chest.

Vasto felt his heart rate increase dramatically, and every few seconds his body would convulse.

"Stubble?" Asked Gregor as he turned back to face the shocked body of Vasto.

Gregor turned around to see a mage preparing another spell.

"Not today Magic man." Said Gregor simply.

The mage readied another lightening spell, but Gregor was faster, and charged at him.  
The mage let loose a lightening bolt, but Gregor was smart and wore very little metal, and just threw his sword at the lightening bolt, causing the electricity to conduct into the sword.  
Gregor was still running towards the mage, unarmed, but determined, and he was less then ten feet away.

The mage tried to run backwards, but fell onto the sand.

Gregor toward over the mage, then lifted him up by the neck with both hands.

"Gregor smash." He said simply, and with that, he twisted the mage's neck and threw the dead body to the floor.

Vasto slowly got back onto his feet, his heart still beating erratically, but he wasn't convulsing any more, but he was still twitching.

"Grimmma dammit. That was p...p...painful as shit." Said Vasto.

Gregor ran towards the stumbling form of Vasto after he picked up his fallen and still slightly electrocuted sword and leant against him to keep him on his feet.

"Cheers Gregor, but we need to move now." Said Vasto.

"Can Stubble walk?" Asked Gregor.

"Aye. Let's go." Replied Vasto as he lightly pushed Gregor off of him and began to limp.

Gregor ran ahead, whilst Vasto slowly begun to set off in a light jog.

They were too late to stop Chrom and Sumia being surrounded, but they thought that if they hurried up they might just make it in time for them to be able to save them from being killed.

"Now to face Maker!" Shouted Gregor from the top of his lungs and his charged towards the two myrmidons and two mages.

"Come and have a good time!... Wait...no. Show me a go if your hard enough... that's not right." Said Vasto, annoyed at his one liner mixup. He shrugged to no one in particular, and jogged after Gregor.

Gregor was the first to join the battle, sending a nasty kick right to the groin of one of the Myrmidons from behind. As he stumbled in pain, Gregor slashed his sword in the Myrmidons back, making him scream out in pain and fall to the floor, if not already dead then paralysed.

One of the mages, noticing a new and dangerous contestant, sent a wind spell towards Gregor. The gust of wind picked up a lot of sand, sending it into Gregor's eyes and causing him to wince in pain and keep his eyes shut.

"Gregor fight with no sight just as well as with some!" He said.

Chrom and Sumia noticed that there was some random Mercenary helping out, and decided to aid him, as Sumia charged at the mage, trying to stab him with her lance. He dodged, but she was quick, instead smacking the heavy lance into his skull, audibly cracking it.

Using his strength, Vasto lunged towards the other Myrmidon that Chrom was fighting off, tackling him to the floor.  
Vasto threw punch after punch at the Myrmidon's head.  
_He's just trying to make his way in the world...Trying to fight for his country..._

Vasto stopped. This Plegian was... just like him. He wasn't evil and depraved like those bandits... Or working against Vasto's home country like the Shepherd's were. He was Vasto just a few...

The Myrmidon noticed the pause in punches and head butted Vasto before rolling away.

Vasto clutched his head.

_The cycle must end... whatever the cost.  
At the cost of your own soul? At others._

_I...don't..._

The myrmidon picked his sword back up, as Chrom was busy helping Sumia fight off the other mage as Gregor desperately scratched his eyes.

_There is no pause.  
I won't let fear compromise who I am._

Vasto unsheathed his own sword as he stood up to face the Myrmidon.

"I'm sorry brother. But I must save Plegia." Said Vasto trying to convince the Myrmidon that doing this was just.

"Shut it Traitor." Replied the Myrmidon. Or perhaps Vasto was just trying to convince himself.

The two of them swung for each other, their swords colliding in mid air, sending sparks into the desert air.

"Gangrel will destroy what it means to be Plegian." Said Vasto to the Myrmidon as he removed his sword from the clash and jumped back, daring his opponent to attack.

"You are no Plegian." Said the Myrmidon, before he charged forwards, taking the bait.

Vasto crouched just as the Myrmidon was about to swing at his shoulders and swung low, slicing at the Myrmidon's leg.

The force of the blow sent the Myrmidon flying behind Vasto, screaming in pain as he fell face first against the desert sand.

Vasto turned around to face his fallen yet still alive opponent.

He turned the still alive Myrmidon over, after kicking his sword out of reach.

"Many fall... But one remains." Said the Myrmidon.

"May you find peace in Grima's reward." Said Vasto. He closed his eyes, and guided his sword into the dying Myrmidon's chest.

The fallen foe gurgled and coughed for a few seconds, but when Vasto opened his eyes, the myrmidon was dead.

"I'm sorry." Vasto whispered to himself.

Vasto stared at the body for a few moments before a hand clasped his shoulder.

Vasto turned to face the handsome face of the Prince Chrom.

"This isn't over." Said Chrom.

Vasto looked over in the distance, seeing the old man mage walk towards the four of them.

"And the Cycle must end." Said Vasto, steeling himself.

Chrom nodded before turning around.

Vasto walked towards Gregor, who had stopped scratching his eyes.

"You all right merc?" Asked Vasto.

"It take more then that to bring down mighty Gregor. But thanks Plegian." Replied Gregor.

"Name's Vasto by the way." Said Vasto.

"Is good name. Strong." Said Gregor with a smile.

The two of turned to face the marching old man.

"So the Shepherds have wiped out my entire convoy. Taken my own Manakete as their own, hired a back stabbing merc. Allowed a man that tried to kidnap the exalt in their ranks. And you consider yourselves the heroes?" Said the old man.

"You are a slave taking human sacrificing monster!" shouted Chrom.

The old man laughed.

"Hah! Manakete aren't human!" Said the old man. "And in the eyes of Grima I am the purest of them all. Oh lord of Annihilation, who bringeth the darkness of thy followers enemies, smite those that would..."

"Stop with the japing!" shouted Gregor as he charged forwards.

Shocked that one of the Heretics would break his sermon, the old mage threw a powerful spell at the charging merc.

Gregor stopped in his path as immense pain travelled through his body.

"AHAHA!" Laughed the old man.

Sumia took high to the sky whilst Vasto and Chrom ran forward.

The old man threw another spell at Chrom, but he jumped out of the way.

Vasto continued to cover the distance between the two of them.

Just as Vasto jumped and swung downwards with his blade, the old man drew his own short sword and parried the blow.

"A book is no close quarters weapon traitor." Said the old man.

Vasto readied himself for another spell, knowing at this range he couldn't dodge quick enough, before he briefly glanced up.  
He let out a traditional cocky grin.

"Is that spell called death from above?" Vasto asked.

"Death from Above? You moron. It's cal..." the old man never finished his sentence as a huge pole arm smacked him in the back with a force strong enough to break stone, never mind the brittle bones that made up the old man's spine.

The old man crumpled to the floor, gasping for air.

Vasto walked towards him as Sumia landed.

"Master Grima...My life force...is yours." Said the old man.

"May the void take you." Replied Sumia as she stabbed the old man in the lungs.

His eyes widened in pain and he opened his mouth to scream, but no sound would ever leave his body again.

Vasto looked towards the Pegasus rider and gave a approving nod.

"That's it is it not?" Asked Chrom.

"It's over. Let's scavenge the battleground and bury their dead." Said Vasto.

"We don't have much time Vasto. Every second we waste..." Said Chrom.

Robin and Virion, with Ricken, Vaike, Miriel and Cordelia behind them, walked towards the four others.

"Is their leader dead?" Asked Robin.

Chrom nodded.

"I can't believe it. A magnificent dragon flew in and saved our lives. It was most surprising." Said Virion.

As he said this, a vibrantly coloured dragon flew over the dunes towards them and landed next to Ricken.

"By Naga's eyebrows!" Squealed Vaike.

In front of their eyes, the dragon disappeared in a flash of light, and in it's place was a... 12 year old girl.

For a few seconds no one said anything.

"Well I haven't heard that one before." Said the little girl to Vaike.

"Right. Shepherds meet Nowi..." Said Vasto pointing at the little girl before pointing to the red haired man. "And Gregor. Gregor and Nowi, meet the Shepherds."

"Hi." Said Gregor and Nowi in unison.

"Huh. New Shepherds. And a Manakete. Intriguing." Said Robin.

"One way of putting it Robin." Said Chrom.

"Right. Well you can have a proper introduction tonight at camp. But unless we want to attract the attention of some Predator Guars, we have to join the others and get out of here." Ordered Robin.

Chrom nodded but Vasto paused.

"Surely we should bury the bodies." Said Vasto.

"Sorry. But we are losing daylight, and you know how fast predators descend on battlegrounds in Plegia." Replied Robin.

Vasto begrudgingly nodded. They briefly wondered quite how Robin knew that, before shrugging and assuming it was part of whatever Tactician school Robin went to before joining the Shepherds.

As the Shepherds climbed the sand dune where they had left the carriages and the other Shepherds, Vasto took one last look over the battleground. Over the carnage that he had been a part of.  
_...Many fall._

.

* * *

.

The sun was long over the dunes of Plegia when Vasto tucked in to eat.

Around him the laughs of others echoed through the desert air.

Stahl, Vaike and Virion were arguing which nation made the best food. Anna, Miriel and Sully were talking about Exercise regimes, which fired up Miriel's natural curiosity.

But Vasto didn't feel much like talking. Not tonight.

Others would disagree.

"You shouldn't have joined a battle so soon after being injured. You could have been killed if you got another concussion." Said a familiar voice as she sat down on the mat next to Vasto.

Vasto sighed.

"I lived through getting hit by lightening, I'll live." Replied Vasto.

"We need every Shepherd we can. I... We don't need you to risk your life unnecessarily." Said Maribelle.

"Those soldiers risked their lives unnecessarily. I..." Mumbled Vasto.

"Oh. I'm sorry Vasto." Said Maribelle.

Vasto turned to look at the blond haired girl.

"You are?" He asked a little surprise.

"You had to kill your own countrymen. That had to be difficult for you." Said Maribelle as she edged slightly closer towards the Plegian.

Vasto turned to face the fire and stared into it.  
"Yes. It's no one I knew, and it was Grimleal bastards who were going to sacrifice a sapient living being. But... One day it won't be. If we don't end this war soon, who else am I going to have to kill. Private Pisaso? Sergeant Khalphja Halio?.. Mustafa?" Said Vasto.

"You... You don't have..." Began Maribelle.

"I'm a soldier Maribelle. That's all I am. And all I ever will be. I'll die with a weapon in my hand. And I will fight for whatever reason I see fit to do so. I will not betray the Shepherds, I need to save Plegia from itself... But sometimes..." Said Vasto.

"Sometimes?" Asked Maribelle.

"I fall every day. I have day dreams of running away. Of selling you out to Plegia so that I might return home a hero. Some days are...Harder then others." Admitted Vasto.

Maribelle didn't rant, didn't fear him. She raised her hand for a second, reaching towards Vasto's shoulder. But she quickly placed it back at her side.

"But the path remains there no matter how many times I fall. Maybe I am scared for my family. Maybe I am terrified that the only way I can return home is in a body bag. But..." Said Vasto.

"You won't let fear compromise who you are?" Finished Maribelle.

Vasto turned again to face Maribelle, a small, sad but genuine smile on his face.

"Yeah." He let out a little laugh. "I do say that a lot."

"It's a good mantra." Said Maribelle.

"I keep having to remind myself of it, so It can't be that good." Said Vasto with a sad smirk.

"And yet you have never forgot it." Said Maribelle.

Vasto thought on this for a few seconds.

"You're a good kid Maribelle. Don't let others tell you otherwise." Said Vasto. Maribelle grumbled about something.

Vasto got up from the mat he was sitting on, carrying the bowl of stew he was previously eating and made his way to Chrom.  
The two of them needed to talk.

.

* * *

.

"Chrom?" Asked Vasto.

Chrom was sat basically on his own. That surgically attached pegasis rider was nowhere to be found and Robin was busy planning for two days time.

"Yes?" Asked Chrom sort of defensively.

"You want to talk?" Asked Vasto as he sat down next to Chrom.

"What about?" Asked Chrom, relaxing a little.

"Look... I know it's difficult for you. But we need to talk about the day after tomorrow." Said Vasto.

"My sister's life for the Fire Emblem. She wouldn't want that." Said Chrom.

"Of course. Which I suppose is why we are risking rescuing her." Said Vasto.

"She is the leader of Ylisse, and our country needs strong leadership now." Replied Chrom.

Vasto scratched the back of his neck. This was going to be difficult.

"You know what we think of Emmeryn in Plegia?" Asked Vasto.

"A pathetic and weak Ylissean? Yes I know." Replied Chrom.

"That's not all. She's a moral coward. She's unwilling to do what is necessary. We loathe your father, but we accept that at least he found something that he thought worth fighting for." Said Vasto.

Chrom stood up and glared at Vasto angrily.

"Enough!" He shouted.

Vasto held up a hand.  
"I'm just explaining popular opinion Chrom. Perhaps a explanation why we... they are doing this." Said Vasto. "Please. Sit."

Chrom, begrudgingly, sat back down on the mat.

"Thank you. You see, we Plegians respect warriors. Not to the Feroxian standard, but there's a saying in Plegia: "Something ain't worth living for unless it's worth dying for. Or killing". The Exalt has refused to punish criminals, she out right ignored the illegal and immoral actions Plegia committed. You might see this as a form of Heroic Principles. But that is not how Plegia see's it." Explained Vasto.

"And what do you believe Vasto? What?" Asked Chrom.

"I won't let fear compromise who I am. Whatever has to be done, no matter the cost, I will do it. No matter how many lives I take... no matter who's lives I must take. Even if I can't bare to look myself in the mirror when this is over, if I can save Plegia from itself it will all be worth it." Said Vasto. "What about you Chrom? Have you found something worth killing for? Or just the words of your sister?"

Chrom stayed silent for a few moments, so Vasto continued.

"You can't allow her to make your moral sensibility for you. You have to forge your own path. You might not agree with me, but I know that deep down you know you don't believe what she truly believes. You realise sometimes you must fight fire with fire." Said Vasto.

"Or... In order for there to be peace, you must be prepared for war." Said Chrom.

"Exactly." Replied Vasto.

"Look... Whatever I believe, Emmeryn is a better leader then I am. Ylisse needs her. I and Lissa need her. We have to rescue her." Said Chrom.

"Good. I understand that. Siblings have to stick together." Said Vasto.

"You got brothers and sisters?" Asked Chrom.

Vasto looked at Chrom.  
"Yeah. A little sister named Sottile. She's a merchant in a small town called Shevarin. It's a coastal town. She's going to get married soon." Vasto Replied.

"I hope that you will be able to go." Said Chrom.

Vasto laughed.  
"That depends on who becomes king after Gangrel dies, and it's best that you don't try and interfere in that." Said Vasto.

Chrom and Vasto stared into the fire for a few seconds.

"You ready to do this?" Asked Chrom.

Vasto looked at the blue haired prince.

"Ready to rescue your sister from the clutches of my mad king? Absolutely. Get some rest Chrom, we'll need every Shepherd well rested and ready tomorrow I think." Said Vasto. "I'm going to catch some shut eye myself."

"I see you're sleeping on top of the medical caravan?" Asked Chrom.

"Yeah. It's been a while since I've seen the Plegian night sky. I thought I'd watch it as I go to sleep. Aren't too many scorpions or anything here anyway." Vasto replied.

"All right. Good night Plegian." Said Chrom.

"Good night Prince." Vasto replied, as he stood up off the mat and walked towards the medical caravan.

.

_._

___**Diary Entry no.2**_

_So... New Shepherds today. I'm not the newest member of this vigilante group of mercenaries anymore._

_So... One of them is Gregor, a Mercenary from... Some country. Tough bastard, and one heck of a soldier._

_Then there's the slightly more...unorthodox member. A bloody Manakete in the form of a twelve year old girl. Weird, but she was absolutely tearing through the soldiers out there._

_So...Yeah._

_Tomorrow we try and rescue the Exalt. A complete 180 of what I was doing almost a month ago._

_We've no information, just a letter that Chrom was sent of where they are keeping her. And that the only way to save her is trade her life for the fire Emblem._

_But there are a great many Shepherds, and I don't think we will need to give away a dangerous and powerful magical artefact to save a pacifist's life._

_After we save Emmeryn, I'm not sure what will happen. This war will most likely end with Gangrel's death, but so many of Plegia, voluntarily or not, stand between us and the mad king._

_Khaplja, Mustafa, Campari, So many more that I have worked with and for._

_Let's end this war quickly. But the first step is freeing Emmeryn. Which shouldn't be too hard._

_What's the worst that can happen?_

_Vasto Olio Prestoria_

_Shepherd._

_._

* * *

___._

___**Annnd that's all for now. Next chapter is Emmeryn's rescue.  
Which means a battle with every single Shepherd hired so far, which should be fun.  
Cya then**_


	9. Side Chapter one: Wiki page

_**Hello! I am in the middle of Exams at the moment, so release of chapters might be slow, so instead, I'm releasing a side chapter. These chapters could be anything from full blown flashbacks, chapters from other's POV's, or as this one is, Vasto's new wiki page.**_

* * *

_**Master & Commander Side Chapter:**_

_**Side Chapter one: Wiki page**_

* * *

Commander Vasto Olio Prestoria, one of the few Shepherds with a full name. Recruited in Chapter seven as long as the player can kill his Wyvern without killing the rider (Almost certainly actually impossible).  
Vasto is a Ex-Plegian Commander. He's had fifteen years of battlefield experience, which makes him the second most experienced human Shepherd in the game without Xenologues.

A cocky smarmy Plegian, Vasto is rarely seen on the battlefield without a smile or cheesy grin, unless he is killing Plegians.

Despite age and seniority, he easily follows Chrom's and Robin's orders.

* * *

**Re class options:**

Wyvern rider- Wyvern lord and Falcon knight

Myrmidon- Swordmaster

Mercenary-hero

Beserker-warrior

**Roster Description:**  
A 29 year old Solider, Ex Commander Vasto is a deadly combatant. Friendly yet fully expects a little dislike due to his nation, he is quick to remind others that both nations are as guilty as the other. Cocky, yet also quite introspective. The most slow to get a sun burn. Born on Feburary 19th.

**Experience tile:**  
"Maybe you can teach a old dog new tricks."

**Weapon experience tile:**  
"An axe to grind or a sword to slash... Just hope it isn't a polearm to pierce."

**Item tile:**  
"Huh. If I'm still not getting paid..."

**Asking-normal:**  
Dreams: "The Grimleal talk a lot about the prophetic power of dreams. You had one recently?"  
Happy: "Wow. Your morale seems up today. I would've thought being near me would ruin a good mood. What's up?"  
Free time: "What counts as a leisurely activity in the other nations? Is it as fun as a daily kitten sacrifice?"  
Team up: "Try and keep up kid. Enemy inbound."

**Replying-Normal:**  
Dreams: "Man. My dreams are bloody weird at the moment. Just flashes of events and strange ass conversations."  
Happy: "Well, we haven't killed anyone I know today, and I received a letter that one of my friends is still alive. So that's a plus."  
Free time: "Oh. Kitten sacrifice mostly. And drinking. And talking to my fellow Shepherds if I've done enough of the previous activity."  
Team up: "I didn't fight in the last war to die here. Let's go."

**Asking-Married**

Love: "You know, when I joined the Shepherds love was the absolute last thing on my mind. But I am glad I meet you (NAME)."

Compliment: "The sands of Plegia aren't nearly as hot as you. Oh god, that was cheesy. Sorry."

Gift: "You know, growing up fairly poor taught me the importance of gift giving. Here you are darling."

Promise: "My foremost promise is to end the cycle of revenge between Plegia and Ylisse. But I promise, I will stay with you as long for as I live."

**Replying-married**

Love: "*Vasto says a short phase in ancient Plegian* I love you too."

Compliment: "Hah! Not as great as you are my snuggly wuggly. Ahem. I mean, good work solider."

Gift: "Oh... Thank you. I'm sure I'll return the favour later Darling."

Promise: Once the cycle of Revenge has ended, If I am still alive, I too will stay with you."

**Asking- child**

Train: "I am not the same man that taught you how to fight. But I must see if there is anything more I can do. En garde!"

Concern: "I worry about you sometimes. You stare at me with... some strange look in your eye. Is everything all right?"

Gift: "That last solider had dropped a nice item. But I've already got one. You want it?"

Story: "I don't want to hear more about your version of me. But are there any fond memories you have before it all went to hell?"

**Replying- Child**

Train: "I have seventeen years of combat experience under my belt kid. Let's see how well you fight."

Concern: "It is nothing. Don't worry."

Gift: "Thanks kid. Say, I'll give it back if you can kill that guy. No, the guy next to that guy. Yeah, if you can kill him in less then twenty seconds."

Story: "No shit. There I was. The canyon behind me, my men about to die in front, when I shouted the words "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!"

**Class change:**  
"This is what... The third time now?"

**Levelling:**

0-1 stat up: "... At least I didn't, you know, get worse."

2-3 stat up: "Oh boy. Mediocrity."

4-5 stat up: "Man, I love my jobs sometimes."

6+ stat up: "Almost as good as some fire whisky. And lasts longer too!"

**Armory:**  
Buying: "It's like Grimamas. Don't ask."

Selling: "Gold is what makes the world go round."

Forging: "Time to sharpen the knives."

**Barracks:**  
Alone: "I swear, I get another Yllisean telling me about Naga..."

Surge: "I feel rested. So naturally, I want to kill something... Maybe my Ex was right..."

**Dual support:**  
"We've got to stop meeting like this...People will talk."

"Ready? Let's do this."

"Great. Let's get going."

"Well this is going to be fun!"

"I've got a plan."

**Dual strike:**  
"I'd feel sorry for you... but you know, you or me."

"Many fall..."

"...but one remains."

"Well that wasn't a good time. For him at least."

**Dual guard:**  
"The cycle must end!"

"You're lucky you're cute."

"Come and have a go! If you think you're hard enough!"

**Critical:**

"Show me a good time!"

"I won't let fear compromise who I am!"

"The best is yet to come!"

"I love this part!"

**Defeated enemy:**

"Who's next!"

"That was for (**SPOILERS)**!"

"Like Friday night on leave! Just... a little less blood."

"See in you hell."

**Partner defeated enemy:**

"Good work"

"Bagsy next one"

"Well that was quick."

"Almost felt that one."

**Killed by a enemy:**

"...The cycle...must...still end. Many fall..."

**Retreat:**  
"I don't want to retreat again. But... I must."

**Death:**  
"Well... Here we are. At long last. Do what you can to bring peace Chrom."

"...I will try."

"Then see you... on the other side."

**Confession:**  
"... You're right. For to long I've just been a solider. I have to be more. You are more. I love you. And I hope we bring out the best in each other. Or the worse around everyone else. That'd be funny."

.

* * *

.

**So yeah, not too spoilerriffic. Just cause Vasto has dialogue ready for marriage and stuff doesn't mean it's gonna happen.**


End file.
